Student organizations at the University of Dhaka are increasingly at odds with the administration over proposed reforms to the Dhaka University Central Students' Union (Ducsu) constitution, particularly regarding the role and powers of the Ducsu president, currently held by the Vice-Chancellor as an ex-officio position.
The Ducsu election has now gained momentum in the current political vacuum in the University of Dhaka, resulting from the ousting of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, and Bangladesh Chhatra League from DU halls.
Among many discussions about constitution amendment, there certainly are different opinions on how the Ducsu constitution will be amended. Almost all active political student organizations, from left to right, have submitted their reform plans.
And they all agree on one thing, that being decreasing the power of Ducsu president, which is Vice-Chancellor by Ex-Officio.
According to current Ducsu constitution, section 5(a), the vice-chancellor of Dhaka University shall be the ex-officio president of the union and has the power to dismiss office bearers or dissolve committees independently, with syndicate approval required only for union suspension.
DU unit of Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal, Bangladesh Nationalist Party's student wing, urged that Ducsu president should be elected, rather than being appointed.
Bangladesh Islamic Chhatra Shibir's DU unit proposed limiting president's absolute power, making the post ceremonial.
Similarly, leftist student organizations like Revolutionary Student Unity, DU unit and Bangladesh Student Union, DU unit had published their reform plans earlier, proposing the decrease of president's absolute power.
However, the Ducsu constitution reform committee has submitted a draft reform plan for amendment, to the vice-chancellor.
Though, the reform plan is yet to be finalized, the plan does not meet the core unified demand made by the active political organizations.
The key difference between the current version of the constitution and the draft by Ducsu reform committee, is syndicate approval in banning any office bearer, and some words.
While both establish the VC as president, current version grants them power to dismiss office bearers or dissolve committees independently, with syndicate approval required only for union suspension.
The amendment only restricts this authority by requiring syndicate approval for all major decisions, including dismissals and committee dissolutions. And there are no student representatives in the syndicate as well.
Student organizations are firm in their stance about not accepting an administrator as the highest power holder in the students’ body.
The administration claims that it's essential to maintain a check and balance situation and Ducsu might be in danger itself. They also assure that it’s not their final decision.
JCD DU unit thinks that this election is to elect a student representative, and demand election for Ducsu president post. They do not want an unelected person to hold the highest power in a students’ body, by ex-officio.
Nahiduzzaman Shipon, general secretary of DU JCD, told Dhaka Tribune that the current administration is following the same path, as the last Ducsu constitution amendment brought no changes at all.
"I don't know whether they are doing it to benefit a particular group, or they are walking the path of being autocratic," he said.
Earlier, Bangladesh Islami Chhatra Shibir DU unit proposed the Ducsu president post to be ceremonial, not having absolute power, and they still are steadfast in their demands.
DU Shibir President SM Farhad told Dhaka Tribune that they will take possible measures if the draft is finalized.
Similarly, Revolutionary Student Unity DU unit thinks that the VC should remain as president only to connect the student body to the administrative body. They also demand the post to be made ceremonial.
Nuzia Hasin Rasha, president of DU RSU told Dhaka Tribune that students’ expectations to make Ducsu democratic hasn't been reflected in the draft proposal made by the committee.
"We think that the VC should remain in the post, but their only task is to ensure the decisions made by the executive body," she said.
According to senior officials of DU, this decision isn't final yet, as it would require syndicate approval. This report will be submitted to the syndicate meeting on April 24.
Pro-VC (Administration) Sayema Haque Bidisha of DU told Dhaka Tribune that policy-related reports are usually submitted to the vice-chancellor first, and then to the syndicate, as it is the university's primary decision-making body.
She also mentioned the sequence of steps—Finance Committee meeting, Deans’ Committee meeting, and Academic Council meeting—that take place before the syndicate meeting, which approves the reports from these earlier meetings.
"The Ducsu reform committee has made a proposal, but that's not the final proposal. As the policy making body, syndicate will have to approve the proposal."
Saifuddin Ahmed, DU proctor and also a member of the Ducsu constitution reform committee, told Dhaka Tribune: “VC needs to remain in this power for its own good, or itself might be in danger.”
He cited examples of Ducsu executive members possibly having committed criminal offences or activities that violate university regulations.
He further said that no VC has ever exercised their power to dismiss any office bearers so far.
"This is why we have proposed this for maintaining check and balance. Earlier, the president was able to do this independently, but now they will be needing syndicate approval," he said.
