DUCSU: Candidate Quits Citing Career Commitments
In the Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (DUCSU) election, Abdullah Ibn Hanif Arian, candidate for the position of Science and Technology Secretary from the Integrated Student Council panel, has stepped down. Citing personal reasons, the student from the Department of Science and Engineering announced his withdrawal and extended moral support to his departmental friend, Ahad Bin Islam Shoaib, who is contesting for the same post.
Before Arian’s withdrawal, there were 12 candidates for this position, including one female candidate. Among them, five were residents of Fazlul Huq Muslim Hall. Apart from Arian, his departmental peer Ahad Bin Islam Shoaib, along with Fatin Ishraq from the Department of Physics, Md. Riaz Mridha from the Department of Microbiology, and Md. Iqbal Haider from the Department of Applied Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, are also in the race. Haider is contesting from a panel supported by Islami Chhatra Shibir.
From Dr. Muhammad Shahidullah Hall, Md. Ehsanul Islam of the Institute of Information Technology and Md. Shakib Khan of the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering are running for the same position. Among them, Ehsan is nominated from the Chhatra Dal-backed panel.
Farhan Labib, a student of Nuclear Engineering and resident of Amar Ekushey Hall, and Md. Mominul Islam from the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, have also declared candidacies. Additionally, Md. Sajib Hossain from the Department of Women and Gender Studies of Bijoy 71 Hall and Ahmad Hasan Talha from the Department of Arabic are in the race.
The sole female candidate, Juraiya Akter, is a resident of Kabi Sufia Kamal Hall. She is contesting on behalf of the Conscious Student Panel nominated by Islami Chhatra Andolan Bangladesh.
On September 6, Saturday, in a Facebook post announcing his decision to step aside, Arian wrote, “I have started serving as the elected president of Dhaka University IT Society from today. Through the club, I have an opportunity to contribute to students. Besides, my non-political term is more relevant here than in DUCSU. And in the ongoing conflict of breaking and building in politics, I absolutely don’t want to move forward. The members of the club also have intense expectations of me, and I want to move ahead with them.”
In the same post, he added, “I am not in good health either. For the past five days, I have been almost bedridden. Campaigning is not possible, and I have fallen far behind. My physical and mental strength has deteriorated!”
He further wrote, “I am a regular master’s student, under pressure with class tests, and at the same time working as a researcher in a company! I have also started a small startup! All combined, I am naturally very busy! I also have deadlines ahead for a few research paper submissions! Beyond this, I deeply considered how much and in what way I could contribute even if elected.”
Arian concluded, “Now there is no formal opportunity to withdraw candidacy, but unofficially, for personal reasons and career focus, I am deciding to step aside! I am extending my moral support to my departmental friend Shoaib. Please pray wholeheartedly for both of us!”
Earlier, from the same panel, Mahin Sarkar, candidate for the position of General Secretary, withdrew his candidacy to support Abu Bakar Mojumdar of the Anti-Discrimination Student Council panel.
