Ahead of the central students' union and hall union elections on September 9, informal campaigns have begun at Dhaka University.
The candidates have been meeting voters. They have taken to social media to introduce themselves and share their various ideas for the betterment of students and the campus atmosphere.
After Juma prayers, candidates from different panels were seen greeting students. They were seeking blessings from the voters.
Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal's top three nominees offered their prayers in the mosques of three halls -- Muhammad Shahidullah Hall, Amar Ekushey, and Sir AF Rahman halls.
Meanwhile, three Ducsu panels yesterday raised concern about the breach of electoral code of conduct.
At a press briefing, Abdul Qader, the vice-president candidate from Boishommo Birodhi Shikkharthi Sangsad, said they had noticed bias on the part of the DU administration and the DUCSU election commission.
"We are still concerned about the administration's neutrality," he said.
Qader, also convener of Bangladesh Gonotantrik Chhatra Sangsad's DU chapter, promised that he would include in his manifesto the demands to hold the Ducsu election according to the academic calendar, extend the deadline for entry to female dormitories to 11:00pm from 10:00pm, and ensure one seat per student in dormitories.
He urged the authorities to shift the polling centre from Dhaka University Club to the Institute of Social Welfare and Research for the students of Bangamata Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib and Bangladesh-Kuwait Maitree halls.
In a separate briefing, Swatantra Shikkarthi Oikya panel VP contender Umama Fatema made the same demand.
Umama, also former spokesperson for Students Against Discrimination, said they noticed that the university administration confined itself to paperwork and issuing statements. "They should act now about the breaching of conduct before any of us complained to them."
According to the election schedule, formal campaigning would start after August 26, when the final candidacies would be announced.
"We can now see posters and banners hanging in the halls. But the administration remains silent," she added.
Oikkoboddho Shikkharthi Jote's VP candidate, Abu Shadik Kayem, said they would eliminate red tape at the Registrar Building.
"We will renovate the DU Medical Centre and address the accommodation problem in the residential halls. We will ensure that every student gets their own study table," he said while speaking at a press briefing.
Shadik, also ex-president of Islami Chhatra Shibir's DU unit, made promises for modernising the central library, constructing cultural lounges at every hall, and upgrading the central mosque that would also include a library.
A total of 462 candidates are vying against 28 posts in Dhaka University Central Students' Union (Ducsu) polls while 1,108 are for 18 hall unions.
This correspondent visited five halls yesterday and found that many candidates offered Juma prayers with the resident students. After their prayers, they sought votes, and many had lunch at canteens with students.
Talking to The Daily Star, Shahriar Mithun, a GS candidate for Shahid Sergeant Zahurul Huq Hall union, said, "We have found that leaflets of a hall union general secretary candidate were distributed among students. The leaflets have the candidate's photo and the post he is vying for. We request proper supervision by the university authorities to oversee the irregularities."
Ahmed Hosen Jony, a VP candidate for Haji Muhammad Mohsin Hall union, alleged that candidates were going door-to-door to woo voters, which is a direct violation of the code of conduct.
In another development, Chief Returning Officer Mohammad Zashim Uddin, in a notice, yesterday asked the candidates to remove posters and banners immediately.
