Key Highlights
- The High Court has postponed the DUCSU elections until October 30.
- According to the announced schedule, the elections were scheduled to be held on September 9.
- DUCSU lawyer Shishir Monir said that the university does not consider the suspension to be beneficial.
- DUCSU will take legal action today or tomorrow.
- Returning Officer Professor Dr. Golam Rabbani said that the commission is not officially aware of the reason for the suspension.
- Chief Returning Officer Professor Dr. Mohammad Jasim Uddin was contacted, but his phone was not received.
Court decision
The High Court has declared the Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (DUCSU) elections postponed. The order was given after a writ petition was heard by a High Court bench headed by Justice Habibul Gani on Monday (September 1). According to the court’s order, the suspension order will remain in force until October 30.
Pre-determined schedule
According to the announced schedule, the elections for DUCSU’s central committee and hall councils were supposed to be held on September 9. However, the election has been postponed for the time being by the High Court’s order.
DUCSU’s response
DUCSU lawyer Shishir Monir told reporters during a briefing,
ঢাকা বিশ্ববিদ্যালয় মনে করে, এই স্থগিতাদেশ কল্যাণকর নয়; বিশ্ববিদ্যালয় ইতোমধ্যেই তার আইনজীবীদের বিষয়টি নিয়ে আইনী পদক্ষেপের নির্দেশনা দিয়েছেন। আশা করি আজ-কালের মধ্যেই পদক্ষেপ দেখতে পাবেন।
Translation: “Dhaka University believes that this suspension order is not beneficial; the university has already instructed its lawyers to take legal action on the matter. Hopefully, we will see action within the next few days.”
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Election Commission’s position
DUCSU election returning officer Professor Dr. Golam Rabbani told the media,
আমরা গণমাধ্যম সূত্রে জানতে পেরেছি এই নির্বাচন স্থগিত করেছেন হাইকোর্ট। তবে কীসের ভিত্তিতে স্থগিত করা হয়েছে তা আমরা আনুষ্ঠানিকভাবে এখনও জানি না। তাছাড়া কীসের ভিত্তিতে রিট হয়েছে তাও কমিশন অবগতত নন। আনুষ্ঠানিকভাবে জানার পর কমিশন এ বিষয়ে মন্তব্য করবেন বলে তিনি জানান। এ বিষয়ে চিফ রিটার্নিং কর্মকর্তা অধ্যাপক ড. মোহাম্মদ জসীম উদ্দিনের সঙ্গে মুঠোফোনে যোগাযোগ করা হলে তিনি ফোন রিসিভ করেননি।
Translation: “We have learned from media sources that the High Court has postponed the election. However, we do not yet officially know on what basis it was postponed. Moreover, the commission is not aware of the basis on which the writ was filed. He said that the commission will comment on the matter after officially knowing. When contacted on mobile phone with Chief Returning Officer Professor Dr. Mohammad Jasim Uddin, he did not receive the call.”
Chief Returning Officer Professor Dr. Mohammad Jasim Uddin was contacted on his mobile phone, but he did not answer the phone.
Background
DUCSU elections have always been considered an important chapter in the country’s student politics. However, for a long time, it has faced various complications, controversies and legal obstacles. The latest High Court’s stay order has given rise to new debates in the DUCSU political arena.
Source: The Daily Campus
