DUCSU Election Tomorrow with 39,874 Registered Voters

Khabor Wala Desk

Published: 8th September 2025, 7:27 AM

DUCSU Election Tomorrow with 39,874 Registered Voters

The official campaign period for the Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (DUCSU) and hall union elections concluded yesterday. Polling will be held tomorrow, Tuesday, from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm.

This year’s election will see 39,874 students eligible to vote. In the central union, 471 candidates are contesting for 28 posts, while in the hall unions, across 18 halls, 1,108 candidates are competing.

The Dhaka University Teachers’ Network has expressed concerns about potential irregularities and lack of transparency in the elections. At a press conference held yesterday at the Madhur Canteen, they put forward a 10-point demand aimed at ensuring fair and transparent polls.

Key Demands by the Teachers’ Network:

Demand	Description
Control of Entry	Clarity on who will be responsible for controlling access to polling centres.
Female Teachers’ Role	Female teachers must be included in verifying the identity of female students.
Transparency in Appointment	Ensure transparency in the recruitment of polling officers.
Extended Voting Hours	Voting time should be extended until 5:00 pm.
Polling Agents’ Rights	Guarantee the right of polling agents to remain inside throughout the voting process.
Media Guidelines	Publish clear guidelines for journalists and polling agents.
Queue Management	Teachers and officers should manage queues outside booths.
Action Against Rumours	Strict measures must be taken against the spread of rumours or misinformation.
Accountability	The Election Commission and administration must be held accountable in case of irregularities.
Safety & Fairness	Ensure safe, transparent voting practices across all halls and centres.

They stressed that if irregularities or opacity occur, both the administration and the Election Commission must answer to the stakeholders.

Chief Returning Officer Professor Mohammad Jasim Uddin urged students to ignore rumours and ensure their presence at polling centres. Speaking at a regular briefing at the Nawab Nawab Ali Chowdhury Senate Bhaban, he said: “Rumour is a social disease. Many false claims may spread, such as a candidate withdrawing or supporting another. I call upon students not to pay attention to such misinformation.”

He revealed that reports had been received regarding fake identity cards being prepared to infiltrate polling lines. To prevent this, voters will only be allowed entry after identity verification. Anyone caught with forged documents will be handed directly to the police.

At a press conference in Madhur Canteen, Meghmallar Basu, General Secretary candidate from the ‘Resistance Council’ panel supported by the Student Union, appealed for strong voter turnout: “Vote for whomever you prefer, but please do come on 9 September. Your participation alone will change the entire equation. The schemes of those opposing independence will collapse if all students cast their votes.”

Historical Context of DUCSU Elections

Dhaka University was established in 1921, and the first DUCSU election was held in the academic year 1924–25.
In the past 100 years, DUCSU elections have taken place only 37 times.
Since Bangladesh’s independence in 1971, over 54 years, elections have been held just seven times.
In the first post-independence DUCSU election (1972):
- Vice-President (VP): Mujahidul Islam Selim (Student Union panel)
- General Secretary (GS): Mahbub Zaman (Student Union panel)
In the last DUCSU election (2019):
- VP: Nurul Haque Nur (Independent candidate, now President of Gono Odhikar Parishad)
- GS: Golam Rabbani (from the Bangladesh Chhatra League panel)