A total of five candidates among seven disqualified from contesting the upcoming Dhaka University Central Students Union (Ducsu) polls, have appealed to the Ducsu president seeking the reinstatement of their candidacies.
Confirming the matter on Thursday, Chief Returning Officer, Prof SM Mahfuzur Rahman, said those nomination seekers have appealed to its president who is also the Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor (VC), Prof Md Akhtaruzzaman.
“We will scrutinize their nomination forms further as per appeal and publish the final candidate list on March 3,” he added.
On Wednesday, the university authorities published the primary list of candidates where seven Ducsu candidates’ nomination forms were rejected for not having their names in the voter list, and incomplete information.
Candidates who lost their candidacy in the hall union polls also filed written petitions with hall union returning officers seeking reinstatement of their candidacies, said the chief returning officer.
The disqualified candidates alleged that the university authorities had rejected their nomination forms as a plan to favour a specific student body.
Among the seven, two heavyweight candidates for the general secretary post were independent candidate, ARM Asifur Rahman, and leftist alliance candidate, Umme Habiba Benzeer, disqualified for giving incomplete information and not having their name in the voter list, respectively.
After filing the application, Asif told the media: “We expressed apprehension on Wednesday while announcing my name as an independent candidate for general secretary post, at a press conference and that the authorities are going to hold an unfair Ducsu election.”
“So, the university authority rejected my candidacy without giving any specific reason and that is why it seems that the administration did the work as a part of their ‘unfairness’ in holding the polls,” Asif added.
He further said: “If the authorities will not pay heed to my appeal I will go for legal action and announce a movement to get back my candidacy.”
Benzeer told the media that she had filed a petition with the Ducsu president and hoped that she would get back her candidacy.
“If the authorities will not take steps, then I will go to the High Court as my nomination form was canceled for not having my name in the voter list, but it was an administrative tangle,” she added.
The left leaning alliance at a press conference also alleged that the DU authorities cancelled Benzeer's nomination form as part of a plan.
11 Chhhatra Dal candidates also disqualified
Meanwhile, 11 candidates’ nomination forms of BNP backed Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal, including three in Ducsu and in the hall unions, were rejected. They also have appealed to the concerned authorities.
Regarding this, Chhatra Dal general secretary candidate, Anisur Rahman Khandoker, said: "We have filed a petition and hope the university authorities will consider it. If the problem is not solved then we will go to court.”
A candidate from Chhatra League's panel, Ishat Kashfia Ila, also filed a petition seeking to get back her candidacy which was rejected for not having her name in the voter list.
Although, she claimed the hall administration was responsible for not having her name in the list, as her administration related activities were completed.
Shwadhikar Satantra Pasrishad announces 8 member panel
Meanwhile, Shwadhikar Satantra Pasrishad has announced an eight-member panel for the Ducsu polls with assistant general secretary candidate Abu Raihan Khan; Liberation War Affairs Secretary candidate Sadman, Science and technology Affairs Secretary candidate Mahila Sultana, Common Room and Cafeteria Secretary candidate Ruman Uddina, International Affairs Secretary candidate Panicchujaman, Sports Secretary candidate Mehedi Hasan Pavel, Student Transport Affairs Secretary candidate Mamun, and Social Welfare Affairs Secretary candidate, Mehedi Islam.
On the other hand, an allegation was raised that member candidate for Ducsu polls, Nipu Islam Tonne, was named a candidate, although she was not a student of the university.
Meanwhile, according to a published candidate list, a total of 54 candidates in hall union polls will be elected as uncontested, where most candidates are from the Chhatra League panel. Of the 54, 3 are for assistant general secretary post, 28 for all secretary posts, and 23 for member posts.
