PM asks DUCSU leaders to maintain peaceful atmosphere on campus

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today asked the newly-elected DUCSU leaders to maintain peaceful atmosphere on the campus, saying that her government wants to further develop the country by utilising the talents of the youths.

“We want the universities are run beautifully and for this, there must have proper (education) environment,” the premier told the Dhaka University Central Students Union (DUCSU) and hall union leaders who called on her at her official Ganabhaban residence here this afternoon.

Sheikh Hasina added: “We want to utilise the merit of the youth folk for the development of the country … we want to make their thinking more effective.”

DUCSU Vice-President Nurul Haque Nur, General Secretary Golam Rabbani and Assistant General Secretary Saddam Hossain also spoke at the function.

Besides, Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) President Rezwanul Haque Chowdhury Shovan and vice-presidents (VPs) of 18 hall unions addressed the function.

Dhaka University BCL President and Chairman of the election conducting committee of the organisation Sanjit Chandra Das delivered the welcome address.

The prime minister said the DUCSU polls were arranged to build future leadership in the country. “We wanted that you can pursue politics without any hindrance and through it a new leadership be created,” she said.

She also told the DUCSU leaders: “You’ve to think how much the polls were important to groom new leadership.”

In this connection, Sheikh Hasina expressed happiness over peaceful holding of the DUCSU elections. “Any incident of terrorism and bomb explosions didn’t take place centering the polls as strict instructions were given to the law enforcement agencies and university administration,” she said.

The prime minister said a healthy trend of politics will be brought back in the country through the DUCSU polls. “We want a healthy trend of politics in the country and it’s our work to restore such type of politics,” she said.

Talking about the session jam at the universities, Sheikh Hasina said there was a time when no classes took place after 2 pm and the universities were plugged by session jams for six, seven and even eight years.

“But that session jam is now over as we had a tough directive about it. Why the time of the students will be wasted … they will have to pass by appearing in examinations on time,” she said.

Sheikh Hasina added such environment will have to be created and there cannot be any session jam.

Referring to the quota movement, the prime minister said in the name of the movement a section of miscreants made the heinous attack on the vice chancellor and set fire to his residence and car.

Sheikh Hasina said Dhaka University was the centre of all movements of the country from the Language Movement, liberation war and anti-autocracy movement. “But incident like torching the VC’s residence never happened in the past,” she said.

About quota system, the prime minister said Bangabandhu had preserved quota for the underprivileged and ethnic minority people, the women and the disabled.

“Following his footsteps, we had preserved the quota for them. But when the quota was not fulfilled, we relaxed the provision by taking the candidates from other list,” she said.

On the road safety movement, Sheikh Hasina said many outsiders took part in the movement in the guise of students.

She said an evil incident might happen centering the movement as the opportunists always exist to deteriorate situation and it’s a matter of concern. “So we had to take steps naturally and the students returned home responding to our call,” she said.

“So I would like to tell those who will give leadership to remain alert so that none can carry out any sabotage centering such issues,” she said.

The prime minister congratulated the DUCSU and hall union leaders and said it is their responsibility to look after the good and bad of the students and the halls.

Sheikh Hasina urged the DUCSU and BCL leaders to work to advance the country remaining above the personal expectations.

“You’ll have to love the country and people and take lesson how you will give leadership … you will become a successful leader if you work remaining above the personal desires,” she said.

“We’ve to go ahead with the spirit of the liberation war and you’ll have to give leadership with a vow to build Bangladesh with this spirit,” she said.

The prime minister also reiterated her determination to build a developed and prosperous country and said the student community has a great role in this regard.

DUCSU AGS Saddam Hossain told the function that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will be made the first lifetime member in the maiden meeting of the newly-elected DUCSU.

Bangladesh Chhatra League-nominated Sammilita Shikkharthi Parishad panel swept the DUCSU polls bagging most of the posts of its 25-member executive committee except the vice-president and social services secretary positions.

In the March 11 DUCSU and hall union polls, the ruling party’s students’ wing BCL won full-panel in most of the halls and secured 23 posts in the central union.

This is the first time in the history of DUCSU polls that ruling party’s student wing bagged most of the posts in the polls.