The call for student union elections grows stronger at public universities across Bangladesh

Demand for Student Union Elections Intensifies at Major Public Universities Across Bangladesh

Calls for central student union elections are growing louder at major public universities in Bangladesh, as students urge university authorities to hold long-overdue polls in light of the changed political landscape following the fall of the authoritarian Awami League regime.

Students from institutions such as Dhaka University, Jahangirnagar University, Rajshahi University, Chittagong University, Jagannath University, and Begum Rokeya University in Rangpur have been staging demonstrations to press their demands for elections. These calls have surged following the ousting of Sheikh Hasina’s government in August 2024, spurred by a student-led mass uprising.

Rafiqujjaman Farid, coordinator of the Democratic Student Alliance—a coalition of seven left-leaning student organizations—highlighted students’ expectations for democratic practices on campuses following the July uprising. “University authorities must recognize student demands and take steps to hold elections on every campus,” he said.

A Long History of Dormant Elections

Elections for most central student unions at public universities have not been held since 1990. Notably, Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (DUCSU) elections took place in 2019 after a 23-year hiatus but have since remained dormant, according to student leaders.

Many former and current student leaders, teachers, and analysts attribute the lack of elections to a lack of political will among ruling parties and university administrations, which fear losing their influence on campuses.

Mujahidul Islam Selim, a former DUCSU vice-president and ex-president of the Communist Party of Bangladesh, said, “The ruling parties politicized student elections to the extent that a defeat in DUCSU is viewed as a defeat in national politics. They aim to depoliticize students to suppress dissent.”

Renewed Hope for Change

The July uprising has revitalized hope among students, who see democratic student union elections as essential for reclaiming their rights. Nasir Uddin Nasir, general secretary of the Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal, emphasized the need for reforms in the DUCSU constitution to ensure fair elections.

“Students need time to understand the platforms of various organizations, especially since academic activities have just resumed after the upheaval,” Nasir added, criticizing amendments to the DUCSU constitution in 2019 that allegedly favored the banned Bangladesh Chhatra League, the Awami League’s student wing.

At Jahangirnagar University, where the last JUCSU elections were held in 1992, authorities have formed an election commission to conduct polls and plan to announce a schedule in February. Students, however, have called for reforms to the JUCSU constitution, with some warning against delays in holding elections.

Similar initiatives are underway at Rajshahi University (RU), Chittagong University (CU), and Jagannath University (JnU). RU Vice-Chancellor Saleh Hasan Naqib noted that a committee had been formed to review the RUCSU constitution and address student demands. CU and JnU administrations are also working on frameworks to facilitate elections, with CU forming a constitution review committee and JnU drafting its first-ever student union constitution.

The Way Forward

With no elected student unions currently functioning in Bangladesh’s 55 public universities, student leaders and stakeholders stress the urgency of holding elections to restore democratic representation.

Nurul Islam, secretary general of the Bangladesh Islami Chhatra Shibir, urged university administrations to expedite the process. “Students no longer want a culture of dominance on campuses,” he said.

Meanwhile, Sayema Haque Bidisha, Dhaka University’s pro-vice-chancellor (administration), reassured stakeholders that DUCSU elections are a top priority, with a special committee formed to review and address student demands.

The student-led uprising of 2024 has reignited hopes for change, providing a critical opportunity for universities and political leaders to prioritize democratic practices on campuses and ensure student voices are heard.