The Dhaka University (DU) student wing has demanded the announcement of the roadmap for the Dhaka University Central Student Council (DACSU) election within the current month of January. At the same time, the organization has also proposed to reduce the power of the vice-chancellor, reform the constitution and create posts for women and religion.
Branch president SM Farhad and secretary Mohiuddin Khan presented these proposals in a press conference at Madhur canteen of the university on Monday afternoon.
Farhad said, 'Daksu election roadmap should be announced by January after confirming the logical reforms through the syndicate meeting. This seems to be the first time in the history of the university, where the bad culture like common room-guest room has disappeared. I don't want that old culture to come back. If Daksu continues to delay the election, the old culture may return. If there is a regular Daksu election, the student leaders will be forced to listen to the students.
When asked whether there is a risk of conflict with other organizations ahead of the Daksu election, Farhad said in the press conference, 'Daksu is a competitive place, I don't want to present it as a conflict. If the Daksu elections are regular, no organization will get involved in the conflict. Because the students will not vote for those who will get involved in the conflict.
What is in the camp proposal?
According to the existing constitution, the Vice-Chancellor is nominated as the President of DAKSU ex-officio. He confirms all meetings, executive committee, other committees and sub-committees. He has been given multiple powers including management of Parliament, necessary action in case of emergency, deadlock or violation of rules, expulsion of committee member, cancellation of entire committee or calling for fresh election.
Chhatra Shibir says that the unlimited power given to the president despite being unelected is in conflict with democratic values. In the proposal, they (the camp) proposed to make the post of president a decorative post, where the president would not have any executive power.
Daksu currently has 14 editor posts. In this, it has been proposed to separate the post of Common Room and Cafeteria Secretary and make 'Library, Reading Room and Common Room Secretary' and merge 'Cafeteria and Canteen Secretary', 'Literary Secretary' and 'Culture Secretary' to form 'Literary and Cultural Secretary'. Apart from this, Chhatra Shibir has proposed to create new posts named 'Women and Equality Secretary', 'Religion and Harmony Secretary'.
Farhad said about the new two-post proposal, 'There are religious places of worship in all the halls. Since there are students of all religions in the university, I have called for the creation of this post to see whether the inter-religious harmony and true rights of religion are being preserved among them.
A proposal to include all democratic movements with the liberation war
Chhatra Shibir has proposed to change the post of Secretary of Independence Struggle and Liberation War and introduce the post of Secretary of Independence Struggle and Democratic Movement. In the evaluation of the proposal, the organization says, 'In order to provide an institutional basis for the Awami Fascist discourse, in the 2019 amendment, the post was added with reference to the promotion and implementation of the philosophy and ideals of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and the political ideology of the Awami League, Bengali nationalism, in Section E of Rule 5. In the new position, he will play an important role in the protection of the country's sovereignty, fundamental rights, democratic values, mutual harmony and the spread of Bangladeshi nationalism, including the spirit of anti-British movement, language movement, liberation war, anti-dictatorship movement, safe road movement and July mass uprising.
The camp also proposed that the Election Commission should be constituted within 30 days of the expiry of the term and elections should be held within 90 days. Apart from this, the camp proposed to give the power to change the constitution to the elected representatives by virtue of the syndicate meeting, withdrawing the 'mandatory' permission of the president after any agenda discussion.
