Dhaka University is abuzz as the Ducsu elections near, with voters carefully weighing their choices.
The central and hall council polls are scheduled for Tuesday and candidates are navigating a mix of excitement and tension ahead of the vote.
Earlier, on the night of August 11, a press release from the university’s Public Relations Office said that the final voter list includes a total of 39,775 voters—20,873 male students and 18,902 female students.
Many are looking closely at candidates’ behavior, experience, past achievements and overall capabilities to decide who deserves their support and vote.
The campus is filled with excitement as students get ready to vote, while also carefully observing and evaluating the candidates.
Several students shared their thoughts on what factors will guide their votes:
Hridoy Hossain Rocky, a residential student of Masterda Surjasen Hall and a student of the Department of Persian Language and Literature, said: “First of all, I will look at what kind of person the candidate is, whether they have moral and human qualities. Secondly, are they running only to become a leader, or will they, if elected, try to bring back practices like guestroom, gonoroom, and protocol politics?"
He further added: "I will also evaluate their role in building a fair and healthy campus environment. Another important factor is how student-friendly their activities have been in the one year since the July uprising. I will support those who always work to secure the just rights of students, who will not return to the old politics of tagging, and who are willing to tolerate differences of opinion in a democratic way."
Wasimul Islam Shatil from the Islamic Studies Department also mentioned that he would vote for candidates based on their actions before, during, and after the July uprising.
Shajoty Biswas, a resident student of Kabi Sufia Kamal Hall, said: “I will prefer an independent candidate. However, if I have seen someone’s work and they are on a party panel, I will still consider voting for them. I won’t vote for someone just because I know them. The main issue is their work.
Along with that, I will try to judge their leadership qualities, character, vision, past contributions, honesty and willingness to work genuinely for the students.”
Another, Pritam Paul Dip, a student of the Psychology Department said: “Candidatets past actions will show whether they are truly qualified to contest. I will also look at the panel they belong to-whether most of its members are well-accepted by students because candidates are accountable to their panels. Keeping all these in mind, I will decide whether a candidate is worthy or not.”
Suprokash Bakali, from the Department of Management and Information Systems, said he considers candidates’ previous experience and political affiliation.
Anha Afnan Dima, as a voter from Shamsunnahar Hall, said: “First of all, I don’t care which panel a candidate comes from. I want a qualified person who is truly fit for the position, someone with prior experience and who has worked on related issues or plans to work on them in the future. A candidate may have a political ideology, but they must keep the hall free from politics. And above all, there should be no hidden politics-whatever ideology one holds should be expressed openly.”
Rony Mondal, a residential student of Jagannath Hall, said: “I will vote for those candidates who have already done something useful for students and who can show a clear plan for the future. With a smart campus, we expect facilities such as opportunities for foreign scholarships, internships until students get jobs after graduation, safe drinking water, proper use of technology, and many other benefits. Whoever can make these visible through their activities will get my vote.”
However, some students expressed disinterest in voting.
A student from the Department of Management and Information Systems, requesting anonymity, said: “I won’t vote. I don’t like any of the candidates. There’s a long vacation because my exams are over. I’ll go home and sleep.”
Priyanka Roy, a student from the Sanskrit Department, explained that in the past, voting had not brought any visible improvement for students and so she had no confidence that this election would be any different.
Sajal Ojha, a hall resident, said that his vote would not bring any meaningful change and that once people gained power, they started misusing it.
He added that, for this reason, he would not go to the polling center or take part in the voting.
Shakhawat Hossen, a student from the Arabic department, said: “My home is very far from campus, and I have to travel by bus every day. Coming all the way just to cast my vote doesn’t feel worth it, so I’ve decided not to participate in the election.”
Mitu Akhtar, a student from the Department of Chemistry, said: “I don’t know most of the candidates personally. I don’t see any candidate with clear vision or integrity. Students’ issues are often ignored once the election is over. I don’t want to be part of something that has no real impact on our lives.”
With the elections approaching, Dhaka University’s campus is alive with discussion, debate and anticipation.
This mix of participation and abstention reflects the varied perspectives among the student body, showing that while some place hope in the election, others remain skeptical about its impact.
