DUCSU Protests Exclusion of 57 Candidates from 49th BCS Gazette, Demands Inclusion by Oct 12
Leaders and student representatives of the Dhaka University Central Students Union (DUCSU) staged a spirited protest rally and gathering on Thursday (Oct 16) afternoon, demanding the immediate inclusion of 57 excluded candidates in the final gazette of the 49th Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS) examinations by October 12.
The demonstration commenced at approximately 12:30 PM in front of the central library of Dhaka University. Protesters subsequently marched through the arts faculty premises and Madhu's Canteen before concluding at the DUCSU building courtyard with a brief rally, where student leaders strongly denounced what they termed partisan interference and harassment under the guise of background verification processes.
Addressing the rally, DUCSU Vice President Sadiq Kayem alleged that partisan recruitment practices and verification hurdles are systematically depriving qualified youth of employment opportunities, drawing parallels to past administrative mechanisms and warning against political bias in public service appointments. He emphasized that merit must remain the sole criterion for employment, cautioning authorities against repeating discriminatory practices in state institutions.
Echoing similar concerns, DUCSU Assistant General Secretary and Dhaka University Chhatra Shibir President Muhith Mohiuddin Khan criticized recent employment and recruitment decisions, arguing that manipulating viva voce marks or utilizing verification protocols to sideline candidates threatens to regress national progress. He warned of severe consequences if partisan identity or political affiliations are allowed to supersede academic merit in public sector jobs.
Meanwhile, affected candidates shared their profound grievances during the proceedings, including Abdullah Al Mamun Belal, a 2019-20 academic session student who secured the top position in the social welfare cadre for the 49th BCS yet found his name omitted from the final notification. Noting his active participation in the July mass uprising and the absence of any derogatory police records, he demanded a prompt review of his status ahead of the scheduled joining date, alongside fellow candidate Rezowan Ahmed Tahmid, who lamented months of anxiety following rigorous preparation and subsequent questioning regarding political and familial backgrounds during verification checks.
