Dhaka University student union poll and political stability in Bangladesh

September 9, 2025

New Delhi: Since its independence in 1971, Bangladesh’s political landscape has seen repeated shifts, with students often playing a decisive role in shaping events. On Tuesday, September 9, Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (DUCSU) and hall union elections were held after a six-year pause.

This year’s vote comes as a reminder of the country’s history of student activism — and political disruptions. According to the Dhaka Tribune, the last DUCSU elections before 2019 took place on June 6, 1990, during General H.M. Ershad’s presidency, when student mobilization was instrumental in ending his rule.

Historical Hiatuses in Student Politics

The Dhaka Tribune noted that DUCSU and hall union polls were held in 2019 after a 28-year gap, breaking decades of irregularity in campus democracy.

The Daily Star reported in August that while student union elections are scheduled this year at Dhaka University, Jahangirnagar University, and Rajshahi University, many public universities remain uncertain about holding polls due to legal restrictions or administrative delays.

Political Influence and Campus Power Shifts

Critics have accused former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina of suppressing opposition voices and influencing student politics. The current interim government’s ban on the Hasina-led Awami League and its student wing — labelled a terror group — has altered campus dynamics.

Past governments, too, have been blamed for delaying or avoiding student union elections altogether.

Legal Provisions and University-Specific Developments

Of Bangladesh’s 56 public universities, only seven have legal provisions for a central students’ union, according to the Daily Star. Jagannath University recently approved a constitution for its student body, while others — including Begum Rokeya University, Islamic University, Comilla University, and Maulana Bhashani Science and Technology University — still lack such frameworks.

At Begum Rokeya University, students staged a hunger strike on August 17 demanding a union, with nine falling ill within three days and several hospitalised.

Student-Led Revolution and Future Political Stability

The current elections follow the July 2024 student-led revolution that ousted the Hasina government. While the interim administration has pledged to restore democratic processes, general elections remain distant.

Observers believe that renewed student representation could be a step toward stabilising Bangladesh’s turbulent political environment.