Four progressive student panels and the Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD)-backed panel have boycotted the Jahangirnagar University Central Students’ Union (JUCSU) election, citing widespread irregularities.
The panels have also demanded an immediate re-election under a fair and transparent process.
The five panels include JCD-backed panel, “Sampritir Oikko,” “Sansaptak Parishad,” “Satantra Aangikar Parishad,” a partial panel from the Samajtantrik Chhatra Front.
Several independent candidates have also expressed solidarity with the boycott.
The announcement came during a press conference held Thursday evening near the university’s transport area. Representatives from the four progressive student panels addressed the media, presenting a list of allegations against the election authorities.
Sharan Ehsan, general secretary (GS) candidate from the “Sampritir Oikko” panel, read out a written statement outlining a range of irregularities. These included late-night chaos around ballot boxes, absence of polling agents due to lack of timely notice, obstruction of polling agents during voting, male candidates entering female-only booths, missing voter photos, no ink marks on voters’ fingers, and legitimate voters being excluded from the list.
“Such widespread mismanagement, negligence, and bias by the Election Commission and the administration have cast serious doubts over the credibility of this election,” Ehsan stated.
The statement also alleged that the process lacked basic transparency and fairness, which, according to the candidates, invalidates the legitimacy of the results.
“We categorically reject this flawed election and demand the announcement of a fresh schedule for a new, free, and credible election,” he added.
JCD’s Jahangirnagar unit joint convener Alakur Rahman also confirmed the party’s withdrawal and echoed the demand for re-election.
The boycott follows growing discontent among candidates and students over the JUCSU election process — the first of its kind in decades – which was expected to set a democratic precedent but has instead been marred by accusations of fraud and administrative failure.
