Genuine students to head student bodies

The recent election of the new President and the Sec-retary of BCL, student wing of the Awami League, was significant in more ways than one. First, the two elected are younger than those that were traditionally people in older age groups. Second, they are regular students of Dhaka University, and third, the election was held in a democratic manner through secret ballot.

We have noted with consternation the tendency of some to continue at the helms of students' parties long after they had ceased to be students and long after they had established themselves into mainstream politics. The decision of the Awami League, one hopes, will put an end to this practice and set a new precedence in stu-dent politics in our country.

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It is perhaps relevant to mention that the activities of official students' bodies must be reinvigorated. Elec-tions to DUCSU, the most important student body of DU, have not been held for over ten years now. Absence of new leadership in these bodies deprives the students of representation in the important decision making fo-rum within the university, on issues related to their academic and related needs. However, we feel that such participation must be issue based, with the main focus being on the student matters, and not party based as they are now.

One would hope that election of younger individuals to the student wings of the Awami League based on a refreshingly transparent and free and fair method will not escape the notice of other major political parties having their own student front, and will be emulated by them, sooner rather than later.