Newly elected vice-president of Dhaka University Central Students Union (Ducsu), Nurul Haq Nur, has told Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina that there were a few irregularities during the election and urged her to look into the matter.
The prime minister invited all elected members of Ducsu and the university hall unions, all 259 students, to a discussion at her official residence, Ganabhaban on Saturday.
Emerging from the event, Nur told the press that there were some irregularities and misconduct in the elections, and he had urged the prime minister to investigate them.
“The prime minister told us that after Ducsu, all other universities will also hold student union elections,” he said.
“She told us that the Ducsu election had taken place after 28 years due to the government’s goodwill. It would not have happened otherwise.”
Nur and his panel, representing the Bangladesh General Students' Rights Protection Council, which led a protest against the government’s recruitment quotas last year, holds the position that the election was rigged, and are demanding fresh elections. However, Nur has said he will take the oath of office.
Asked whether his position had changed after the meeting with Prime Minister Hasina, he dodged the question.
“The prime minister has told us to work together and not get mired in quarrels and conflict,” he said.
Ducsu general secretary-elect, Golam Rabbani, who is the general secretary of Chhatra League, the ruling party-affiliated student organization, said: “We urged the prime minister to keep Dhaka University under her wing.”
“She told us that she would give us all her support if we stay united and work together,” he said.
“Nur told the prime minister that he was a member of Chhatra League. He is one of our boys. He was a secretary in the university’s Mohsin Hall committee,” Rabbani said.
Chhatra League President, Rezwanul Haque Chowdhury Shovon, who lost the election to Nur, was also present at the event and the two left together.
The students entered Ganabhaban at 3pm and left at 8pm. The prime minister hosted a dinner for them. Several former Chhatra League leaders, Awami League central leaders, and some of the prime minister’s advisers, also attended the event.
