All Candidates Are Our Advisors, We’ll Work Together: VP Shadik

Md. Abu Shadik, the newly elected Vice President (VP) of the Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (DUCSU), declared that all candidates who participated in the DUCSU election will serve as advisors to the elected panel, emphasizing a collaborative approach to leadership. Speaking to journalists on Thursday morning after visiting the graves of July movement martyrs at Rayerbazar, Shadik said, “The DUCSU victory belongs to the July generation and the 40,000 students of Dhaka University. It’s a victory for the martyrs’ aspirations. There is no win or loss in this election—we were all comrades. Just as we worked together in July, we will work together in DUCSU, implementing our comrades’ manifestos collectively to advance the university.”

Responding to another question, DUCSU General Secretary (GS) SM Farhad stated that their primary role is to represent students and address their concerns by communicating them to the relevant authorities. “Students will act as our advisors, guiding us, questioning us, and ensuring we stay on the right path,” he said. Addressing concerns about Hindu students feeling unsafe, Farhad clarified that the celebratory slogans and events at the Senate Bhaban were not directed at any group. He noted that three hijab-wearing candidates were part of their panel, and the slogans were specifically in response to an incident involving Sabikunnahar Tamanna, a Fine Arts student whose image was distorted with horns, mocking her hijab. “This was a symbolic rejection of hijabophobia, raising a voice against harassment or distortion of images in the university,” he explained, stressing that such actions are unacceptable on campus.

Farhad further addressed media portrayals, suggesting that some foreign outlets, particularly from one country, misrepresented the situation despite knowing the context, possibly due to their own agendas. He expressed confidence that local media, having witnessed the events, would present the truth accurately. The statements reflect the DUCSU leadership’s commitment to unity, inclusivity, and addressing campus issues collaboratively while honoring the spirit of the July movement.