DUCSU ‘80: Much promise and little fruit

9 November 1980
Weekly New Nation

In her landmark book “Pakistan: Failure to National Integration” Dr. Rounaque Jahan has guardedly called DUCSU the ‘second Parliament’ of the then East Pakistan, now Bangladesh, because DUCSU, although the elected lawful body and spokesman for Dacca University students, it also has to talk for the students of the country and concern itself with national problems and politics. The DUCSU has been performing a great revolutionary role since its birth. It’s part and parcel to the history and story of the birth of Bangladesh and so many events aftermath. But the spirit of 1952, 1969,. 1966 and 1968-1971 are no more alive in the DUCSU of today. Obviously, in the context of sovereign and independent Bangladesh the scope, range and scale of DUCSU’s overall activities have necessarily been tagged with and tuned to the call of time, space and dimension having the matter of state-building in the centre.

One year ago just before the election to the Dacca University Students’ Union (DUCSU) and Halls Students’ Unions1979, I made a study on the overall scenario of the student politics in the campus giving attention to the state of national politics in the country accordingly, which was published in the New Nation on October 28, 1979 under the caption ‘D. U. Election ‘79’. Now the present leaderships at DUCSU and in the Hall Unions are almost at the end of their one year-term. The campus is awaiting change of leaderships to the elected bodies in DUCSU and Hall Unions. Student political organizations of various shade, color and dimension are making preparations to contest the same, the date of which will soon be announced. Political fronts are busy formulating their own programs in the light of the changing political landscapes in the campus as well as in the country. The most interesting focus is that all parties are in search of detecting and making lists of the failures and loopholes of the incumbent leadership in DUCSU and in the Hall Unions, which is no doubt a good election strategy.

The leaderships in DUCSU and Hall Unions have their own interpretations about their balance-sheets. But the picture appears to be complicated when the V.P & G.S of DUCSU along with other leaders have recently been expelled from parent organization Chatra League of JSD. General reaction about all these happenings and developments is: why the one-year of DUCSU and the Halls could not show excellence in generating any organized movement? Why DUCSU became the weakest ever in the history of Dacca University? Why 7 points proved to be futile? Why the newly born JCD of BNP is getting stronger base in Dacca University? Why has the politics of splits finally afflicted BCL of JSD, which may engulf JSD also? What achievements the Halls have shown in their respective fields? Keeping all these views in mind, let’s take an exclusive study of the “One year of leaderships in DUCSU and Halls”.

One year ago DUCSU and Hall Unions were installed as students’ elected legal body in the campus. Students heaved a sigh of relief that academic atmosphere would now return, problems of university might be addressed and undesirable happenings might be stopped. The election manifesto of the ruling party in DUCSU was promising and attractive. However, with the exception of 4 members BCL of JSD got the full panel of DUCSU and began to work as the spokesmen of 19000 students of Dacca University. DUCSU has one V.P., one GS, one AGS and some secretaries & members. The functions of the secretaries are specified. The role of V.P. and GS are mainly integrative and directive. The success of secretaries in respective area taken together jointly shows the success of DUCSU in general. So an analysis of the workings of different Secretaries might reveal the extent of steps taken by them and the extent of success coming from those steps.

The post of Cultural Secretary though entrusted with the responsibility of promoting culture in Dacca University. has not taken any keen interest to do so. He is associated with a drama group, but does not seem to be very much conversant with his job in DUCSU. During his tenure in office not a single artist achieved any national reputation on behalf of DUCSU no cultural delegation visited Dacca University and vice versa, Though GS of DUCSU assured that a debating team would be sent abroad nothing came of it. However, this year DUCSU cultural week was observed. The programme was lacking in many ways.

Allegations have been brought against the Common Room Secretary that he has established himself as the medium of illegal admissions into different Departments in the academic session of 1979-80. During his time no improvement was made in the common rooms. Lack of chairs and other privileges are still acute there though there was budget.

This post of Sports and Games Secretary has gone to a famous national player Pintu. The success of games and sports is remarkable. But lavish expenditures drew criticism. Allegations have been made against Mr. Mustafa, the Physical Director of Dacca University. The prizes of sports and games week were also blow the standard. The gatherings of promising national players of Dacca University and the amount of money expended for this purpose was an alarming one.

Ali Reaz, a promising young talent in the field of literature of the country is holding the post of Literary Secretary. He has two main functions: a) To publish a fortnightly. b) To publish the yearly of DUCSU. But it is sad to mote that the fortnightly was not published regularly. Articles were reportedly chosen arbitrarily for which those issues could not be reflection of students’ creative faculty. The most interesting thing is that the future of the yearly is uncertain; Asked about yearly the Literary Secretary replied, “It may be published”. But alas time is over, budget goes unspent.

The welfare secretary is in a very pitiable position in DUCSU, He has nothing to do. His functions and nature and extent of workings are not specified in DUCSU. He observed no social or religious occasion. When asked he replied, “Our ideology does not permit us to introduce any communal or religious affairs in politics. That is why I have no job.”

“Well, what about social and welfare programme?”

“We are thinking” he replied callously. The G.S. of DUCSU could not give any justification for the post. But he said “we will offer a good definition of the post.”

GS & VP of DUCSU

V.P. Mahamudur Rahman Manna always dominates the G.S. of present DUCSU. The G.S. hardly does anything, which is not liked by V.P. Two reasons are behind this. One is The V.P. Manna was the most dominating and popular figure in the campus and in students politics of the country. He possesses a kind of charisma and G.S. Aktaruz-zaman grew under his towering shadow and other is this gave birth to a sense of authoritarianism in V.P. Manna. All the secretaries consult him over any trifle. The total Budget of DUCSU was 375000, which was a deficit one. So the workings of DUCSU give us a frustrating picture. The DUCSU has not been able to recover the illegally occupied seats. The problems of books in seminars and at University Library are the same as before elections. In fact, DUCSU could not evolve any workable system for the students of Dacca University.

Asked to comment on the performance of DUCSU the PRO said, “DUCSU in most cases did not inform us on any matter. We have to know the news of Ducsu after it is already published in the papers.”

The President of DUCSU Vice Chancellor Dr. Fazlul Halim Chowdhury has proved himself as a balanced and shrewd personality in the campus. Regarding the working of DUCSU he was very much co-operative and sincere. The DUCSU leaders admit, “The sincerity of the president of the DUCSU is beyond question. But his role about the problems of Dacca University is limited since education policy is the major factor here.”

The polities of Dacca University are mostly hall-based politics. The success and failures of Hall Sangsads must have impact on the overall image of DUCSU. At present Dacca University has eleven halls of which two are for female and nine for male. The peculiar features of the Hall Sangsads are that different political organizations have a dominant influence and in some hails are under mixed influence. The Chatra League of JSD is leading in five halls absolutely, in two halls they are in coalition with JCD of BNP and Chattra League of Awami League (Maiek). The Chattra League of Awami League of Malek are leading, two halls absolutely. Chattra Union guides the Shamsunnahar Hall while Rokeya Hall is under control of JCD of BNP. Almost all the Sangasads are facing problems some have proved successful, some have shown partial success while one or two have become sources of permanent dissatisfaction.

7-points movement, a total failure

The revolutionary role (in a limited sense) of the present DUCSU began with the formulation of 7-points centering the incidences of Rajshahi University and other academic Institutions of the country. The undemocratic activities of the ruling party in the country also paved the way for the birth of 7-points. But 7-points movement proved one of the weakest movements in the history of Dacca University. The reasons for immediate failure for 7-points movement are as follows:-

a. the 7 points movement was not the reflection of the time, which had the inherent power of uniting all major student political fronts. No heartfelt unity was available for the movement.

b. from the beginning of the movement serious disagreements were found within the DUCSU and the Chatra League (M.H.) leaderships.

c. The steps taken by DUCSU to launch the movement were not so enthusiastic and promising. Ultimately of ran out of steam.

The DUCSU Leaderships met President Zia to discuss the problems of the students, especially the problems of Dacca University. But the talks were futile, and M.R. Manna has yet not disclosed details. No immediate fruitful resctions were found among the leaderships of DUCSU.

France honeymoon!!

In the middle of the year DUCSU V.P. and G.S. went to France to represent DUCSU in an International Educational conference. From there they flew to West Germany and came back home accompanied by A. S.M. Rob, GS of JSD. Centering this tour repercussions are still going on in different political fronts including the Chattra League of JSD. It is claimed that it was a political honeymoon under the mask of attending the conference. Even it is said that Prime Minister Shah Aziz gave them special patronage. But the more important was why did Manna and Aktear fly to West Germany? Did they seek any pre-understanding with Rob about political stand of JSD? Are they betraying the party or is Rob frustrating them? This mystery is deepening.

Back to home and a new dilemma--

It is significant that President Zia himself congratulated them though a grand reception. At this very critical movement of Chattra League and DUCSU were expelled and University committee and city committee were dissolved. The Chattra League (M.H) leaderships explained that DUCSU leaderships had made an alliance with the government and betrayed the party ideology. This is the first time in the history of Dacca University that DUCSU leader faced such expulsions. On the other hand, DUCSU leaderships charged the leaderships of Chattra League and JSD with having misalliance with Awami League of Malek. Manna brought out demonstration against the expulsion, but JSD leaderships including Sirajul Alam Khan, supported the expulsions.

Although in a meeting held on September 19 at the Battala Mannan-Akter openly criticized BNP and JSD leadership (not all), their joining of BNP at this very moment will decisively be guided by two pragmatic factors:

Firstly, they would try to build their own party with the support of some leaders of JSD and.

Secondly if they fail in the first attempt, they may talk to Kazi Jafer, Enayatullah Khan or Shafiul Alam Prodhan for future steps.

If these two attempts become a total failure the possibility of joining BNP can not set aside. Because a political base is a condition precedent to face the challenge thrown to the DUCSU leadership. Now if they join BNP problems will also arise on the question of leadership in JCD. It is in the air that Golam Sawar Milon, President of JCD, would be GS and Akter, the present GS of DUCSU will honor the post of president of the JCD in its new formation. M.R. Manna is expected to hold the post of State Minister for Education and thus a new development is expected in the politics of the country. But this study will not be completed, if the views of the chiefs of 4 major student political organizations are not taken. Asked to comment on the developments centering on DUCSU the replies from four leaders of leading students’ organizations were as follows:

a. DUCSU failed to understand the feelings of student community. Its internal workings are full of corruption. The revolutionary aspect of DUCSU has been trampled shamelessly”. “We went while there is DUCSU?” disclosed Obaidul Quader, president pf Chatra League of Awami League (Malek).

b. ‘DUCSU leadership could not broaden the cope of activity though there were possibilities. We extended our sincere and honest co-operation to them but they did not behave well, even the illegally-occupied seats of Shibir by different political groups especially by JCD have yet not been vacated and recovered and no co-operation was made available from DUCSU and Hall Sangsads. This is totally a failure” said Munju, Secretary General, Islamic Chatra Shibir;

c. “This DUCSU is not in any firm position to do anything in favor of creating a peaceful and congenial atmosphere as it itself is pursuing and practicing a policy of opportunism and benefits’ said Najrul islam, convener of Dhaka University Unit t of JCD; and

d. “Please bear in mind with due respects to history and reality that this is not the DUCSU of pre-independence of Bangladesh that had been marked with its historic role in the events of 1952, 1962, 1966, 1968-1971, which culminated in the birth of our independent and sovereign Bangladesh .It is the DUCSU of post-independent Bangladesh. We tried to do to the best of ability and capacity. 7-points could not flower in line with our expectations because of non-cooperation of the parties therein. The internal mode and speed of the functioning of DUCSU might be flawed to some extent in some cases. The government did not keep its word and threw as into an ocean of troubles by creating different bars on the development schemes of Dacca University in particular. Even Education Budget has been curtailed while the budget for defense has been increased. So, no revolutionary role can be modeled and determined without having a revolutionary field together with and organizers and supporters rightly’ opined On the other hand, Akhtaruzzaman, GS of DUCSU, with a sense of despair.

New let us see how the pattern of politics of the country evolves and what steps DUCSU leadership embarks upon paying due heed to time, space and dimension..