DUCSU claims credit for new lift, Dean calls it 'misinformation'

A lift at the academic building of Dhaka University's Faculty of Business Studies has been out of order for a long time, with the faculty and DUCSU making conflicting claims over its repair or the installation of a new one. DUCSU claims it has already arranged a new lift and can have it installed within a day if the administration wants. On the other hand, Acting Dean of the faculty Professor Al Amin claims he had already taken the initiative to repair the lift or install a new one if needed, and described DUCSU's demand for a new lift as 'misinformation' in the name of publicity.

According to faculty sources, the lift installed for students has remained out of order for a long time, causing problems for students. In a Facebook post on Sunday night, Professor Al Amin said that since taking charge as acting dean on September 3, he has been working to resolve various problems of the faculty, including the lift issue. He said that after speaking with the technical committee on September 6, he took the initiative to make the lift operational within 15 days, and informed the faculty's official Facebook group that a new lift would be arranged if needed.

Professor Al Amin further wrote that when DUCSU's Career Development Secretary Mazharul Islam called him about installing a lift, he said he was arranging the lift himself and did not need DUCSU's help. Later, when DUCSU Vice President (VP) Sadik Kayem wanted to meet him, a meeting was scheduled for 11am on Sunday, but DUCSU members other than Sadik Kayem arrived at his office shortly before 12pm. DUCSU General Secretary (GS) SM Farhad informed him that Sadik Kayem could not come as his mother was unwell. Al Amin then told them, "Thank you for your concern. However, I am arranging the lift, and you do not need to provide any assistance." He later saw social media publicity claiming DUCSU had arranged the lift. In his post, he wrote, "Misinformation in the name of publicity without solving anything cannot be a political ideology."

Dhaka University Superintending Engineer Md Ahsan Habib said the faculty dean had contacted him to make the lift operational, and work would begin on Monday.

Around 10pm on Sunday, DUCSU leader Mazharul Islam wrote in a Facebook post that the lift installed for students at the academic building of the Faculty of Business Studies in 2006 had been out of order for a long time, and DUCSU had arranged a new lift. He said they had met the dean and informed him that the new lift would arrive whenever the administration wanted, and installation work would begin; they sought the administration's full cooperation in this regard.

Speaking on the matter, Mazharul Islam said the lift problem is long-standing and they have been demanding a new lift since the tenure of the previous dean. According to him, when the matter was raised at a DUCSU executive council meeting with the Vice-Chancellor last August, DUCSU was asked to take responsibility for the lift, after which they contacted various places and arranged a sponsor for a new lift. After Professor Al Amin took charge and announced the initiative to repair the old lift, DUCSU's newly arranged lift was not accepted, so they only informed students that they could bring the new lift within a day if the administration wanted. Mazharul Islam claimed there was no scope for 'misinformation in the name of publicity' here.

Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor Professor A B M Obaidul Islam said DUCSU was not given the responsibility of bringing a new lift. He said, "DUCSU is trying to involve me intentionally here. I did not give any such responsibility (procuring a lift) to DUCSU. Why would DUCSU arrange a lift? DUCSU can inform the administration. The administration will arrange it."