Shadik Kayem

Shadik Kayem
মোঃ আবু সাদিক
Shadik at the Suhrawardy Udyan, 2025
27th Vice-President of Dhaka University Central Students' Union
Incumbent
Assumed office
14 September 2025
President
General SecretarySM Forhad
Preceded byNurul Haque Nur
Central International Affairs Secretary of Bangladesh Islami Chhatra Shibir
Incumbent
Assumed office
25 February 2026
Central PresidentNurul Islam Saddam
Central International Affairs Secretary of Bangladesh Islami Chhatra Shibir[1]
In office
19 January 2025 – 25 February 2026
Central President
  • Jahidul Islam
  • Nurul Islam Saddam
Preceded byAzizur Rahman Azad
Succeeded byAmirul Islam
President of the Dhaka University Unit of Bangladesh Islami Chhatra Shibir
In office
2024–2025
Central PresidentNurul Islam Saddam
Preceded byRafe Salman Rifat
Succeeded bySM Forhad
Personal details
BornMd. Abu Shadik
Satkania, Chittagong
CitizenshipBangladesh
PartyBangladesh Islami Chhatra Shibir
Alma materUniversity of Dhaka
OccupationPolitical activist
Known for
OrganisationBangladesh Islami Chhatra Shibir

Md. Abu Shadik (Bengali: মোঃ আবু সাদিক), better known as Shadik Kayem (Bengali: সাদিক কায়েম), is a Bangladeshi student activist who has been the vice-president of the Dhaka University Central Students' Union (DUCSU) since 2025.[2][3]

Previously, he was president of the University of Dhaka unit of Bangladesh Islami Chhatra Shibir during the 2024 academic session[4][5] and, is currently serving as the central International Affairs secretary of the organization.[6][7]

Early life and education

Shadik Kayem was born in Satkania Upazila of the Chattogram District. His father is a businessman.[5] Kayem began his primary education in Khagrachari. He passed his Dakhil examination in 2014 from Baitush Sharaf Jabbariya Adarsha Madrasah. Following that, he passed his Alim examination in 2016 from the Baitush Sharaf Adarsha Kamil Madrasah in Chattogram and was admitted to the Department of Political Science at the University of Dhaka for the 2016-2017 academic session.[4]

Political career

Kayem is a former President of the Chittagong Hill Tracts Students’ Council, former founder of Hill Society and former Organizing Secretary of the Surya Sen Hall Association of Political Science.[8][9]

In 2024, following the student–public uprising, Kayem publicly disclosed his position of Bangladesh Islami Chhatra Shibir at Dhaka University.[10][11] He was also a coordinator of the Students Against Discrimination during 2024 quota reform movement.[12][13]

He was one of the first to refer to the siege of Ganabhaban event as Fath-e-Ganabhaban (lit. 'Conquest of Ganabhaban'), which he stated,

"The legacy of Fath-e-Makkah, Fath-e-Bangala, and Fath-e-Kustuntiniyya has led us to achieve Fath-e-Ganabhaban."[14][15]

He is the Central International Affairs Secretary of Bangladesh Islami Chhatra Shibir.[16]

2025 DUCSU election

Main article: 2025 DUCSU election

Shadik Kayem contested the Dhaka University Central Students' Union (DUCSU) as the Vice President (VP) candidate from the United Students' Alliance panel.[17] He was elected Vice President (VP) with 14,042 votes. His closest rival, Abidul Islam Khan of the Bangladesh Jatiotabadi Chatra Dal, received 5,708 votes.[18][19] He officially assumed office on September 14, 2025.[20][21]

Electoral history

Year Election Position Party/Alliance Votes Percentage Result
2025 DUCSU Election Vice President United Students' Alliance (USA) 14,042 47.99% Elected

Activism

In addition to his political activities, Shadik has been involved with various non-political organizations[22]. He served as an advisory member of Students Against Violence Everywhere (SAVE), an organization dedicated to preventing violence against students. He was the General Secretary of the Bangladesh Youth Initiative and served as the President of the Chittagong Hill Tracts Students' Council (Parbatya Chattagram Chhatra Sangsad). To improve the quality of life for the hill people, he founded a social and voluntary organization called Hill Society. He also acted as a facilitator for SAVE Youth - Students Against Violence Everywhere, an organization focused on deterring young people from criminal activities. Additionally, he served as the General Secretary of the Surja Sen Hall Association of Political Science.[4]

Controversy

On 1 December 2025, Shadik Kayem filed a lawsuit against nine meme-related Facebook pages as well as three Facebook accounts, alleging the dissemination of false information and the cyberbullying of female student leaders. His decision to pursue legal action generated significant debate and criticism on social media, particularly concerning the implications for satire and online expression.[23][24]

Cartoonist, Writer and Editor Ahsan Habib criticized the case during a discussion titled “Satire, Memes, and Cartoons: Freedom of Expression or Defamation,” organized by the Citizen Coalition at the National Press Club in Dhaka.[25] Article 19 condemned the lawsuits, describing them as an “attack on free expression” and urging the Bangladesh government to safeguard the right to online dissent.[26]

See also

References

  1. ^ "ছাত্রশিবিরের ২০২৪ সেশনের পূর্ণাঙ্গ কেন্দ্রীয় কমিটি ঘোষণা". ঢাকা মেইল (in Bengali). Retrieved 19 March 2026.
  2. ^ "From Shibir leader to Ducsu VP: Shadik Kayem at center of discussion". Dhaka Tribune. 10 September 2025. Retrieved 12 January 2026.
  3. ^ "Final results announced: Shadik Kayem elected as DUCSU VP". Bangladesh Pratidin (in Bengali). 10 September 2025. Retrieved 10 September 2025.
  4. ^ a b c "Who is Shadik Kayem, introduced as the DU Shibir president?". kalerkantho.com (in Bengali). 22 September 2024. Retrieved 20 April 2025.
  5. ^ a b "Who is this Shadik Kayem, the hidden identity of DU Shibir president?". Daily Inqilab (in Bengali). Retrieved 9 September 2025.
  6. ^ "Shibir's important positions held by DU's Sibgatullah and Shadik Kayem". kalerkantho.com (in Bengali). January 2025. Retrieved 20 April 2025.
  7. ^ "Give fuel before the lamp goes out: Shibir leader Shadik Kayem". Jugantor (in Bengali). Retrieved 9 September 2025.
  8. ^ "Shadik Kayem is new VP". Daily Inqilab (in Bengali). Retrieved 2026-01-26.
  9. ^ "Who is Shadik Kayem?". দেশ রূপান্তর (in Bengali). Retrieved 2026-01-26.
  10. ^ "Yeni Şafak Exclusive: Bangladeshi Student Leader Shadik Kayem Speaks on Revolution That Ended Sheikh Hasina's 16-Year Dictatorship". Yeni Şafak. 25 July 2025. Retrieved 12 January 2026.
  11. ^ Hawlader, Asif (22 September 2024). "President of Shibir's DU unit goes public, sparks debate". Prothom Alo (in Bengali). Retrieved 9 September 2025.
  12. ^ "Zulkar Nine highlights the events of july - banglanews24.com". banglanews24.com. 22 February 2025. Retrieved 20 April 2025.
  13. ^ "Shibir's Shadik was the hero behind the July Revolution: Zulkar Nine Sayer". jaijaidinbd.com. Retrieved 20 April 2025.
  14. ^ "Student leader Shadik Kayem on July 36". Bhorer Kagoj. 23 September 2024.
  15. ^ "The Victory of 36th July Was a Result of Collective Contribution: Shadik Kayem". Bangla Hour. 24 September 2024.
  16. ^ "Shadik Kayem among newly appointed Shibir secretaries". Jago News 24 (in Bengali). Retrieved 9 September 2025.
  17. ^ "Shadik Kayem casts his vote in DUCSU election". The Daily Ittefaq (in Bengali). Retrieved 9 September 2025.
  18. ^ "Shadik Kayem elected VP, Farhad elected GS". Manab Zamin. Retrieved 2025-09-10.
  19. ^ Sorkar, Shubha Zinia Chowdhury, MD. Mahfuzur Rahman. "DUCSU Election: Chhatra Shibir's Shadik elected VP, Farhad GS, Mahiuddin AGS". Prothom Alo (in Bengali). Retrieved 2025-09-10.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  20. ^ "First meeting of DUCSU held today". BSS. 14 September 2025. Retrieved 14 September 2025.
  21. ^ "No personal victory, 'July generation' won Ducsu polls: VP Shadik Kayem". The Business Standard . 14 September 2025. Retrieved 14 September 2025.
  22. ^ "DUCSU VP seeks vote for 'Yes' to block path to become fascist | District". BSS. Retrieved 2026-02-03.
  23. ^ "Case filed against a dozen facebook pages and account by VP Shadik Kayem". The Daily Campus (in Bengali). Retrieved 9 December 2025.
  24. ^ Arman, Jahed. "Political Meme-Culture: The Battlefield of Public Opinion". Kalbela (in Bengali). Retrieved 9 December 2025.
  25. ^ "Ahsan Habib protests against the case filed against 'Yearki'". Samakal (in Bengali). Retrieved 9 December 2025.
  26. ^ "Lawsuits against satire and dissent are an 'attack on free expression': Article 19". The Business Standard (in Bengali). 9 December 2025. Retrieved 9 December 2025.
  • Quotations related to Shadik Kayem at Wikiquote
  • Media related to Shadik Kayem at Wikimedia Commons
  • Shadik Kayem on Facebook
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