Fifty days after the polls, the Dhaka University administration has finally approved an initial budget for the Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (Ducsu).
To keep the activities of Ducsu and 18 hall unions operational, a total of Tk 43 lakh has been allocated – Tk 25 lakh for the central student union and Tk 1 lakh for each hall union.
Ducsu Treasurer Professor Dr HM Mosharraf Hossain confirmed the information to TIMES of Bangladesh on Thursday. He added that a discussion on the full budget would be held once the vice-chancellor returns from his visit to London and Italy.
Earlier, amid a prolonged dispute between Ducsu and the university administration over budget and funds, Ducsu Vice President Sadik Kayem said on October 21, “We had given the administration a one-week deadline to provide an account of the funds collected since 1990 from students’ admission fees for the Ducsu fund.
“However, the administration has yet to deliver the report.”
On 26 October, newly elected Ducsu representatives surrounded the office of the university treasurer, pressing three demands related to the Ducsu fund. The standoff led to heated exchanges between the administration and student leaders.
“However, with the approval of the initial budget, Ducsu representatives are now viewing the development positively.”
Ducsu General Secretary SM Farhad said, “As this is the university’s initial budget, we welcome it positively. For now, we will continue our activities using this allocation.”
He added that the budget will primarily be used for cultural and social events as well as ongoing projects.
However, former Ducsu vice president Nurul Haque Nur described a separate Ducsu budget as unnecessary.
Citing financial constraints and the absence of a dedicated fund, he said, “Ducsu does not directly participate in the university’s administrative activities, so a large, separate budget is not essential for a student organisation.”
