DU Teachers, Students for Rescheduling DCC Polls

Dhaka University (DU) teachers and students today called for the rescheduling of the elections to two Dhaka city corporations billed for January 30 as Saraswati Puja will be celebrated on the day.

They announced the demand from a human chain staged at the foot of anti-terrorism Raju Memorial Sculpture on the campus.

Under the banner of Concerned Teachers and Students of Dhaka University, around 300 students and teachers took part in the program.

Speaking on the occasion, DU Senate Member Prof Asim Sarkar said students in Dhaka will not be able to celebrate Saraswati Puja smoothly as educational institutions will be used as polling stations for the elections.

“It’s a matter of sorrow that the Election Commission fixed January 30 for holding polls to Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) and Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) without paying any heed to the demand of different socio-cultural and religious organizations to change the date,” he said.

Prof Asim Sarkar said Saraswati Puja is a major religious festival for Hindu students. “The DU Jagannath Hall always hosts the biggest puja on the occasion.”

Arranging election on the day of the puja will create various problems, he said, demanding the elections be rescheduled.

Meanwhile, assistant general secretary (AGS) of Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (Ducsu) Saddam Hossain also demanded that the voting date be changed.

He made the demand in a statement in a Ducsu pad.

Besides, the High Court is set to deliver its order tomorrow on a writ petition filed seeking its order to deferment of the date of the poll.

On January 6, Advocate Ashoke Kumar Ghosh, a Supreme Court lawyer, filed the writ petition.