A panel backed by seven left-leaning student organisations, ‘Protirodh Parishad’, has declared an 18-point manifesto for the upcoming Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (DUCSU) elections.
The panel has pledged several structural and policy reforms, including fixing specific dates for central and hall union elections in the academic calendar and ensuring that at least 10 per cent of the university budget is allocated for research.
Key commitments outlined in the manifesto include reforms in the DUCSU framework by increasing student representation in the Senate, banning commercialisation and privatisation of education, and modernising research laboratories in consultation with faculty and students.
Addressing housing concerns, the panel vowed to end violence and illegal occupancy in residential halls, renovate old buildings, build new ones, and guarantee seats for first-year students under administrative supervision. They also pledged to eliminate guestroom culture, ragging, and harassment, while enhancing hall security with CCTV surveillance.
The manifesto prioritises creating a women-friendly campus by ensuring unrestricted access for both resident and non-resident female students, removing restrictive hostel rules, and installing vending machines at faculties and halls.
On inclusivity, the panel promised to protect the languages, cultures, and traditions of all ethnic groups and to uphold equal rights across communities. Other proposals include introducing university-administered cafeterias, upgrading the medical centre into a modern 100-bed facility, and establishing a dedicated mental health support centre.
The manifesto also called for keeping the central library open around the clock, reviving the university’s publication unit, and setting up a full-fledged translation centre to promote higher education in Bangla. Plans to reclaim university land, hold regular literary and cultural activities, and organise traditional festivals were also highlighted.
For transport, the panel proposed purchasing buses with university funds rather than relying on rentals from BRTC. In sports, they pledged an annual sports calendar aligned with the academic schedule and measures to make playgrounds more inclusive for women.
The document further outlined commitments to environmental protection, greater autonomy by amending undemocratic provisions of the 1973 Ordinance, and safeguarding freedom of expression on campus.
Finally, the manifesto underscored the importance of preserving the history of the Liberation War, the 1990 anti-autocracy movement, and the 2024 mass uprising through archives, research scholarships, and regular publications.
