- Sabina Ahmed
Following the July 2024 uprising, yesterday’s DUCSU election was the first organized election in Bangladesh, with 70–75% of Dhaka University students participating voluntarily. For this generation of voters, it was their first experience with elections—a truly historic day.”
Meanwhile, Islami Chhatra Shibir, a student group banned at Dhaka University since 1990, returned to open politics after 35 years. Shibir was formed during the regime of Shaheed Zia in 1977, at the university mosque. After the fall of Ershad, the Dhaka University authorities and the student platform Poribesh Parishad imposed a ban on Shibir’s politics. This ban remained in effect even during BNP’s rule, and for decades, Shibir couldn’t conduct political activities openly—especially during the 15 years of Awami League governance.
“Nationally, the Awami League government banned Shibir on August 1, 2024, under the Anti-Terrorism Act. However, the interim government lifted the ban on August 28. Since then, Shibir has been allowed to conduct political activities at Dhaka University again. Their leaders appeared openly on campus in September 2024. After 35 years, participating in the DUCSU election was a huge challenge and test for Shibir—and they achieved a remarkable victory. But behind that success lies their intelligence, planning, and hard work.”
Why They Won:
Rejection of Mainstream Party Interference:
DU voters rejected interference by mainstream political parties. Shibir selected their candidates independently, without Jamaat-e-Islami’s intervention. In contrast, BNP’s acting chief Tarique Rahman nominated the student wing (Chhatra Dal) candidates, which was seen as political interference. This old-school politics was rejected by the student masses post-uprising.
Shibir Appeared as a Unified Student Coalition:
Instead of campaigning as “Shibir,” they presented themselves as a coalition of united students. The panel included hijabi and non-hijabi women and people of different religions, showing diversity and broad appeal—matching the “unity mood” post-July Revolution.
They avoided two major criticisms:
(i) They showed they were not anti-women—candidate Sadik Qayem was seen in videos smiling and engaging with female students. Shibir doesn’t require women to wear the burqa.
(ii) They aren’t just Islam-centric; their doors are open to all. This gave them strong acceptability among DU’s female students.
Divided Opposition:
Other panels (e.g., Left-Center, Real Left, two NCP panels, BNP) split the vote. Leftist and secular groups’ votes were scattered across 4–5 factions, while Shibir stood unified, giving them a clear advantage.
Tactical Positioning on Liberation War Sentiment:
Given Jamaat’s controversial past with the Liberation War, they tactically avoided placing a Shibir member for the Liberation War Secretary position and gave it to Juma from Inqilab Mancha, deflecting criticism.
Positive Campaigning:
Shibir’s campaign focused on student rights, campus development, and unity. They avoided negative attacks, unlike Chhatra Dal, BCL factions, and Left parties, who mostly ran negative campaigns. Students rejected negativity.
Following the July 2024 uprising, yesterday’s DUCSU election was the first organized election in Bangladesh, in which approximately 70–75% of Dhaka University students participated spontaneously. For this generation of DU students, it was the first election of their lives—a truly unforgettable day.
Rejection of Political Tagging:
After the July uprising, students strongly oppose political labeling. Tagging culture is outdated. In July, students ousted Hasina while calling themselves “Rajakars” (Traitors) in ironic protest chants. Yet, Chhatra Dal and Leftist groups used the same old tags (like “Pakistan lover” or “Rajakar”) in their campaign. Naturally, DU students rejected this, and Shibir’s votes remained intact.
Educated, Discerning Voters:
DU voters are well-informed and thoughtful. They did their homework and chose candidates wisely. To dismiss their votes is to question the future of campus politics. Those rejecting the results or spreading negativity are jeopardizing their own parties’ futures. This election was the litmus test of student politics.
Leftists Are Out of Touch:
In Bangladesh, the Left has no real place in public life. They often engage in divisive rather than constructive politics. Their elitist attitude and Islamophobia alienate the general public. Even moderates reject them. Hence, Shibir gained their votes. Anyone leaning too far left in this country will divide, decay, and ultimately lose.
Rightward Tilt of Society:
Like the rest of the world, Bangladesh is leaning right. More women are wearing hijab, indicating a conservative shift in society. Since the July revolution, religious sentiment has increased. The Left is naturally excluded from this trend, and even BNP is seen as moving left. When society leans right, people will vote for right-leaning, people-friendly parties—which is exactly what happened in DUCSU. Shibir’s united student coalition won.
Conclusion:
This election is a pointer for national politics. It showed that while people are proud of the 1971 Liberation War, they no longer want to politicize it. Both 1971 and 2024 are part of our collective identity—but not tools for division. People now care more about action, security, development, and building the nation. The world is moving fast, and we must catch up—for the sake of our future generations.
To the United Student Coalition of Shibir—congratulations on your unexpected victory. Don’t let this win turn into arrogance or complacency. Fulfill the promises that won over students’ hearts. Maintain humility. If not, we won’t hesitate to criticize you.
All the best, Dhaka University!
