Contests for Ducsu: Case lodged to halt public exposure of voters' private information

Dhaka University Students Challenge Voter List Disclosure in High Court

A group of students from Dhaka University has filed a writ petition with the Supreme Court of Bangladesh, challenging the decision of the university administration to publicly disclose personal information of nearly 40,000 students ahead of the Dhaka University Central Students' Union (Ducsu) elections.

The petition, filed on August 24, was initiated by students Sabikun Nahar Tamanna, Md Zakaria, Fatema Tasnim Jhuma, and Rifat Redowan. The legal notice served to the chief returning officer on the day prior to the filing of the writ petition went unanswered, leading to the filing of the challenge in the High Court.

The petition alleges that the disclosure of personal information, including names, photographs, residential halls, departments, and academic years, on a public platform without any restrictions, violates the students' right to privacy as enshrined in the Constitution of Bangladesh. The petitioners argue that making such personal data openly accessible is a clear violation of several articles of the Constitution.

The petition seeks a directive to limit the display of photographs and personal details of female students in the voter list, citing instances of serious harm to students' privacy and the resulting harassment and bullying faced by female students. However, the petition does not specify any particular reason for the violation of their right to privacy.

The petition does not mention any specific consequences or penalties for the university administration's actions. The current status of the case in the High Court is not provided in the article.

The students had earlier written a letter to the vice chancellor requesting the removal of female students' photographs from the voter list, but no action was taken. The DU administration published the complete Ducsu voter list containing personal information of nearly 40,000 students on August 11.

The challenge is in relation to the Dhaka University Central Students' Union (Ducsu) election, which is an important event in the university's academic calendar. The outcome of the election will significantly influence the students' lives and the future of the university.

The disclosure of personal information has raised concerns among students and student organizations about the safety and security of the students, particularly female students. The petitioners hope that the High Court will take swift action to protect the students' right to privacy and ensure a fair and secure election process.