Former spokesperson of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, Umama Fatema, has announced the formation of an independent panel to contest the upcoming Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (DUCSU) election.
Fatema made the announcement through a post on her verified Facebook account on Wednesday night.
In her post, Umama wrote: “Dear students of Dhaka University, greetings to all. As you know, the schedule for the DUCSU Election 2025 has been announced, and the election is set to take place on September 9. I intend to form an independent panel comprising students who have long been working for the welfare of DU students. This panel will aim to ensure research-driven and visionary initiatives for the overall betterment of the university through the upcoming DUCSU election.”
Introducing herself, she added, “I am Umama Fatema, a student of the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (2018–19 session) and a resident of Poet Sufia Kamal Hall. Since my first year at the university, I have been involved in student politics and have consistently worked– both within and outside political platforms–for student welfare.”
Recalling her activism, she wrote: During my first year, I founded the platform ‘Valid Seat Is My Right’ to demand legitimate seats in residential halls. Through this journey, I have realised that solving the deep-rooted problems of this university is nearly impossible without a major transformation, and such change can only be driven by students. A legitimate and organised students’ body, like DUCSU, is the only platform that can truly reflect the aspirations of students.”
She emphasised that DU students deserve leadership that is free from external influence as she said, “I believe students want leaders who are not controlled by any political party, who remain steadfast in defending student rights, and who are committed to transforming the university into a center of quality education and research—not merely a factory for producing political leaders.”
Calling for participation, she invited interested students to join her panel: I urge all students who believe in restoring DU’s lost glory, addressing the dominance of political hegemony, and establishing a research-friendly, student-oriented campus to come forward. Those willing to join our panel can fill out a registration form and participate in our initiative.
The DUCSU Election 2025 is scheduled for September 9, following the official announcement of the election timetable earlier this month.
