Ducsu election underway

Staff Correspondent: The much-anticipated election to the Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (Ducsu) and its hall unions began on Monday morning.

The voting is taking place at 18 halls of the DU. It started around 8:00am and will continue till 2:00pm without any break.

Students can vote only in the centres at their halls. The authorities allotted four minutes for each student to complete voting, which some students say is not enough.

A total of 42,923 students– 16,292 females and 26,964 males–will cast their ballots to elect 25 Ducsu leaders from among 229 contenders. Another 512 candidates are vying for 13 posts in each of the 18 dormitories.

Of the total 16292 female voters, there are 4608 in Rokeya Hall, 3764 in Shamsun Nahar Hall, 2288 in Bangamata Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib Hall, 1928 in Bangladesh Kuwait Moitri Hall and 3724 in Poet Sufia Kamal Hall.

On the other hand, out of total 26,964 male voters, there are 1799 in Bangabandhu Hall, 2496 in Jagannath Hall, 3155 in Bijoy Ekattor Hall, 2052 in Shahidullah Hall, 2075 in Fazlul Huq Hall, 1814 in Salimullah Muslim Hall, 2301 in Sergeant Zahurul Huq Hall, 2170 in Surya Sen Hall, 1981 in Haji Mohammed Mohsin Hall, 1658 in Poet Jasim Uddin Hall, 1840 in Sir F Rahman Hall, 1346 in Amar Ekushey Hall and 2257 in Zia Hall.

Each voter in Ducsu and hall union polls, can cast 38 votes, on two ballots, to elect 38 representatives – – 25 in the central union and 13 in respective hall unions.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) have imposed a 24-hour restriction on movement of outsiders and vehicles on the campus from 6pm today.Vehicles or rickshaws without a valid university pass or sticker will not be allowed to enter the university. The authorities have also imposed a limit on the number of media personnel on the campus during the election. Journalists have been given special passes to cover the polls, the DMP commissioner said.

No more than four camera persons will be allowed from each TV channel and maximum two reporters and one camera person will be allowed from each print media house.

Authorities have also requested Dhaka Medical College Hospital-bound people to use the Bakshibazar-Chankharpool route during the polling hours.

The much-awaited election to Ducsu and its hall unions is being held after nearly three decades as the last polls were held in 1990.


risingbd/Dhaka/March 11, 2019/Yeamin/Mukul