The Rajshahi University (RU) unit of Bangladesh Islami Chhatra Shibir held a press conference Tuesday afternoon, August 25, at the university’s Paribahan Market courtyard, demanding that the schedule for Rajshahi University Central Students’ Union (RAKSU) elections be announced. The organization later submitted a memorandum to the vice-chancellor.
Its other demands include drawing up a clear roadmap to ensure 100% residential housing at the university, introducing a housing allowance for non-resident students, establishing a full-fledged, modern medical center, and making the university senate functional.
Shibir unit president Mujahid Faisal read a written statement at the press conference. Calling for RAKSU elections to be included in the academic calendar, he said 10 months have already passed since the last RAKSU election. If preparations for the next RAKSU election are not taken up now, he said, it will not be possible to meet students’ expectations for holding it on schedule. He called on the university administration to take effective steps and make a decision now, so that the election schedule can be announced and RAKSU elections held on time. He said Shibir is demanding that RAKSU elections be included in the academic calendar to ensure students get a RAKSU election every year.
On the housing shortage and allowance issue, he said Shibir understands that 100% residential housing was included in the “green page” of the last budget, which the organization welcomes. He said Shibir had held a press conference in 2025 demanding a roadmap on this issue. Now that the budget has been passed, he said, a timeline should be set for how soon the halls will be built, and Shibir wants a roadmap for achieving 100% residential housing. Until that is achieved, he said, non-resident students should be given a housing allowance.
Asked by reporters about what RAKSU has achieved in its first 10 months, Shibir unit president Mujahid Faisal said tagging, framing and bullying of female students on campus no longer occur the way they used to. Drugs are no longer as widespread on campus as before, he said. Political coexistence on campus has been established and what he described as the trade in dormitory seats has been ended. He said the “guest room” and “mass room” cultures are gone, and that seats in dormitories are now being allocated based on merit and seniority, which he called one of the biggest changes. He said all of this has been possible because RAKSU exists, and that an environment of accountability now prevails on campus.
Asked another question, the RU Shibir president expressed dissatisfaction over the official expense budget of RAKSU General Secretary Salauddin Ammar.
Asked about Shibir’s next steps in its campaign for RAKSU elections, Mujahid Faisal said that during the last RAKSU election as well, the administration had lacked the political will to hold it, but Shibir organized a movement with student support that forced the administration to announce a schedule. Various attempts were made at the time to derail and stop the election, he said, but Shibir stood shoulder to shoulder with students to resist those efforts and secure the RAKSU election. If the administration again drags its feet on RAKSU, he said, Shibir will once again join with students in a final push to secure the election.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report