Bangla Press Desk: Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (DUCSU) has introduced a new addition to the university’s transport services by launching a weekly bus service on the campus–Cumilla route.
The initiative is part of the implementation of election pledges made by the DUCSU student transport secretary.
The service was formally inaugurated on Sunday (1 Feb) at the Mall Chattar of Dhaka University by Vice-Chancellor Prof Niaz Ahmed Khan, and DUCSU Vice-President Sadik Kayem.
With the launch of this service, students of Dhaka University residing in Cumilla are expected to benefit from safer, more convenient and affordable transportation.
According to the schedule, the bus will depart from the Dhaka University campus for Cumilla every Thursday afternoon and return from Cumilla to the campus every Sunday morning.
The inauguration ceremony, conducted by DUCSU Student Transport Secretary Asif Abdullah, was attended by DUCSU Vice-President Sadik Kayem, Social Welfare Secretary AB Zubayer, Transport Manager Md Kamrul Hasan, Cumilla-based DU students and others.
Expressing her enthusiasm, Asma Akter, a student of the Department of Persian Language and Literature, said the launch of the Cumilla route bus service marks a joyful and historic moment for students.
She noted that although assurances had been given in the past, the service was never implemented. She credited the current DUCSU and university administration for their sincere cooperation in making the initiative a reality and expressed hope that similar services would be expanded to other districts across the country.
Mujahidur Rahman, a student of the Department of Islamic History and Culture, said the demand for a Cumilla route bus service had long been ignored.
He alleged that previous promises remained unfulfilled despite repeated appeals on various platforms. He praised the sincere and dedicated efforts of DUCSU Vice-President Sadik Kayem and Transport Secretary Asif Abdullah for finally launching the weekly service, albeit on a limited scale.
Mahbubur Rahman, literary secretary of Surja Sen Hall and a Cumilla-based DU student, said that a long-standing demand spanning 10 to 12 years had finally been realised through the joint efforts of DUCSU and the university administration.
He described the launch as evidence of the current DUCSU’s accountability and commitment to fulfilling students’ demands.
DUCSU Student Transport Secretary Asif Abdullah said ensuring students’ transportation facilities is one of DUCSU’s key objectives. As part of fulfilling election pledges, transport services are being expanded in phases, with plans to introduce more routes in the future based on students’ demands.
He also mentioned that evening bus services had already been launched earlier and that efforts are underway to extend services to Saturdays as well. He expressed gratitude to the university administration, the UGC chairman, and all concerned stakeholders.
Transport Manager Md Kamrul Hasan said the credit for launching the Cumilla route bus service goes entirely to DUCSU. He noted that despite long-standing student demands, limited resources and constraints previously hindered implementation. With additional funding and DUCSU’s determined efforts, the service has now become a reality.
DUCSU Vice-President Sadik Kayem stated that DUCSU is not merely a political or independent platform but a responsible representative of the expectations of Dhaka University’s 40,000 students and the wider citizenry. He emphasised DUCSU’s commitment to delivering more than what was promised, highlighting its work over the past four months in ensuring transparency, accountability, and student-centered initiatives.
Vice-Chancellor Prof Niaz Ahmed Khan described the launch of the Cumilla route as more than just a transport service, calling it a significant milestone in DUCSU’s broader student welfare initiatives. He noted that effective resource mobilisation, responsibility, and stakeholder collaboration played key roles in the project’s success.
He added that the initiative reflects collective effort by DUCSU, the university administration, and partner institutions, and assured that resources would be used with care while gradually expanding the scope of such services.
He also thanked journalists, critics, and all stakeholders for their support and called for continued cooperation.
BP/SP
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