Term over, no schedule in sight: Rajshahi University student leaders demand a quick RUCSU election

The Rajshahi University Central Students' Union (RUCSU) election returned last year after a 35-year break, following a long-standing demand from students — but within a year its future has fallen into uncertainty again. The current committee's one-year term has expired, yet there is no visible preparation by the administration to hold the next election. In this situation, the current RUCSU leaders, general students and leaders of various campus student organisations have demanded that the election schedule be announced quickly.

According to university sources, the RUCSU election schedule was announced in July last year. Voting was initially set for September, but after several changes of date the election was finally held on 16 October. In that election, held after more than three decades, the Chhatra Shibir-backed panel 'Sammilita Shikkharthi Jote' won a majority. One of the promises in the panel's 24-point manifesto before the election was to put the RUCSU election on the academic calendar. But although the current committee's term has now ended, no visible step has been taken to implement that promise.

Under RUCSU's constitution, the elected executive committee's term is one year from the day it takes office. RUCSU treasurer Professor Setaur Rahman said that although the current committee's term has ended, no decision has yet been taken on holding a new election.

He said: "No decision has been taken yet on a new election. It depends entirely on the vice-chancellor. The election will be held when he thinks fit. Whatever information or files were asked of me, I have prepared and handed over."

On preparations for the election, Professor Setaur Rahman added: "The vice-chancellor asked me for a file with information on the state of the previous election, who was in charge and what problems there were. I gave him the file accordingly. But it seemed to me that the students are pressing for the election to be held. Perhaps this step was taken as part of keeping the matter under discussion in that context. But in reality, none of the preparation and process needed to hold an election is visible yet."

The current RUCSU leadership, however, says it has been regularly pressing the administration to hold the election. RUCSU assistant general secretary (AGS) Salman Sabbir said: "Keeping RUCSU running continuously was one of the pledges in our manifesto. To that end, we have been informing the vice-chancellor since the third session. At the most recent session, held on the 30th of last month, the vice-chancellor tasked the current treasurer with preparing the election schedule and reforming the constitution, and directed him to report updated information quickly. After receiving the information from the treasurer, an announcement on the schedule and constitutional reform will be made through the next syndicate. We are in regular contact with the treasurer. We hope to be able to give updated information soon."

RUCSU general secretary (GS) Salahuddin Ammar said: "There is no alternative to winning RUCSU through movement. My manifesto also promised to keep RUCSU active. I will make the utmost effort, together with the students, to implement that promise."

RUCSU vice-president (VP) Mostakur Rahman Zahid said: "From our side we have repeatedly demanded that the RUCSU election be held and we are putting pressure on the administration. But it seems to us that the administration is waiting for a green signal from the ruling party's government." He said that although the administration pays attention to other matters, no such initiative is visible over the RUCSU election; preparations were supposed to begin three months before the election, but there are no preparations at all so far.