Ducsu debacle a rude awakening for BNP
Jatiyatabadi Chhatra
Dal's defeat by a huge margin in the Ducsu polls has sent a strong message to
the BNP, just five months ahead of the national election,
political analysts say.
Chhatra Dal, considered to be one of the major student bodies which had earlier
won Ducsu polls in 1990 during the anti-Ershad movement, failed to secure any
of the 28 posts in this year's election.
Meanwhile, the Islami Chhatra
Shibir-backed panel swept the DU election, winning 23 of 28 posts -- the
student body's biggest success since the country's independence.
The
analysts say the loss ahead of other major student union elections warrants
drastic re-organisation of the JCD, which traditionally plays a vital role
during national elections.
"BNP
had built strong momentum, but the loss in the Ducsu polls has significantly
undercut it. The setback has left many party activists disheartened. The scale
of Chhatra Dal's defeat is deeply disappointing."
— A senior BNP leader speaking anonymously
Political
observers cited organisational weaknesses, prolonged absence from the campus,
the age gap between leaders and general students, and ineffective hall-level
campaigning as the key reasons behind the defeat.
"This
is not merely a student union election -- it carries a powerful message for the
upcoming national polls," said Prof Mojibur Rahman of Dhaka University's
Institute of Education and Research.
"General students could not trust BNP and Chhatra Dal. Many believed that
if they voted for Chhatra Dal and helped them win, it would ultimately
strengthen the BNP -- something they did not want, as the party was already
involved in various unethical activities. This fear worked against them."
The
Ducsu polls were held after last year's mass uprising that toppled the Awami
League regime. With Chhatra League absent from the contest, the biggest
beneficiary turned out to be Shibir.
For
BNP, the failure of Chhatra Dal not only hurt its image among students but also
raised new challenges for the party at the national level, said party leaders
and experts.
Political
analysts said if BNP fails to take lessons from this defeat, the consequences
will be massive in the days ahead.
Prof
Al Masud Hasanuzzaman of Jahangirnagar University's government and politics
department said, "The Ducsu polls offer a lesson for the BNP. The way the
party had been thinking about the upcoming election may now change, prompting
them to reflect and prepare accordingly. In this context, the BNP must act with
strategic considerations in mind."
The
impact of the Ducsu polls will not remain limited to the university; it will
spread across the country's political landscape. Jamaat and its student wing
have shown that BNP is now their main rival, said both Hasanuzzaman and
Mojibur.
Political
analysts agreed that Jamaat has gained new momentum, and BNP must pay more
attention to this reality.
"The
victory of Shibir will infuse huge energy into Jamaat. Of course, this is good
news for them. BNP must move forward by considering these matters,"
Hasanuzzaman added.
The
analysts said extortion by party members, business grabbing, and infighting
have already put BNP in an image crisis, which was also reflected in the Ducsu
polls.
A
BNP leader, wishing not to be named, said, "Public perception is very
important in politics. The result of the Ducsu election has had a significant
impact on people. There is no difference between Chhatra Dal's defeat and BNP's
defeat."
Mojibur
stated that the result has triggered public reactions, which are likely to
influence the upcoming national election.
"Shibir
leaders are now in the spotlight after winning Ducsu posts. When the national
elections come, they will return to their areas and use their positions to seek
votes. This is certain to have an impact on the election," he said.
Two
BNP Standing Committee members said they are working to rebuild the party's
image by strengthening the organisation and taking action against those
involved in controversial activities.
"BNP
had built strong momentum, but the loss in the Ducsu polls has significantly
undercut it. The setback has left many party activists disheartened. The scale
of Chhatra Dal's defeat is deeply disappointing," said a senior leader,
requesting anonymity.
Dhaka
North City BNP Convener Aminul Haque said, "I think this is a big lesson
for the BNP. In the coming days, we will move forward by finding out our
organisational weaknesses."
According
to Prof Mojibur, BNP's intellectual group is very weak, and the party does not
even feel the need to strengthen it.
"BNP
and Chhatra Dal talk big and bring out processions, but the results are there
for all to see. The party must now focus on strengthening its organisational
base."
At
a programme in Chattogram, BNP Standing Committee member Mirza Abbas yesterday
alleged that Shibir won the Ducsu polls by colluding with the Awami League,
whose political activities are banned.
Talking
to The Daily Star, another Standing Committee member, Khandaker Mosharraf,
insisted that the outcome would have no effects on national polls or politics.