The long-awaited elections for the Rajshahi University Central Students’ Union (Rucsu), hall unions, and student representatives to the university senate were held on Thursday in a festive and peaceful atmosphere.
According to Chief Returning Officer Prof Dr Setaur Rahman, the overall voter turnout stood at an impressive 72%.
Polling began at 9am across 17 centres in nine academic buildings and concluded at 4pm. Vote counting began at 6pm at the Kazi Nazrul Islam Auditorium, after a one-hour delay from the originally scheduled 5pm start, said Election Commissioner Prof Parvez Azharul Haque.
Prior to the close of voting, an announcement was made inviting any remaining students to join the line. After 4pm, gates were sealed and polling was officially concluded.
Election Commissioner Mostafa Kamal Akand confirmed that all ballot boxes are being transported to the central counting venue, where the votes are being tallied using Optical Mark Recognition (OMR) machines.
Ballots are being grouped in bundles of 100 for efficient counting, supervised by a panel of experts.
Counting is taking place in three phases, hall by hall, and the full results for 283 contested positions are expected within 12 to 17 hours.
Live updates are being broadcast on LED screens placed at key university locations, and the entire process is being monitored through CCTV surveillance to ensure transparency.
This year’s election saw 28,901 registered student voters, comprising 39.10% women and 60.90% men.
A total of 305 candidates competed for 23 posts in the central Rucsu, including key positions such as Vice President (VP) and General Secretary (GS).
In addition, 58 candidates vied for five student senate posts, while 555 candidates competed for 255 posts across 17 hall unions.
A total of 11 student panels, including those affiliated with political groups such as Chhatra Dal and Chhatra Shibir, participated in the election.
To ensure campus safety, the administration deployed 2,000 police personnel, six platoons of the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), and 12 platoons of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB). All polling stations were equipped with CCTV cameras, and transparent ballot boxes were used.
Allegations of irregularities surface
Despite the largely peaceful conduct of the election, allegations of irregularities were raised by student panels.
At a press conference held Thursday afternoon at the university’s Paribahan Market, the Jatiotabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD)-backed ‘Oikoboddho Notun Projonmo’ panel accused Islami Chhatra Shibir of ballot manipulation.
VP candidate Sheikh Nur Uddin Abir claimed that voting was suspended for nearly an hour at the Shahidullah Academic Building, during which they discovered around 100 ballot papers already signed.
He further alleged that Shibir supporters wearing panel-branded jerseys were seen entering the campus later in the day, raising concerns about the presence of outsiders.
Meanwhile, the Islami Chhatra Shibir-backed ‘Sammilito Shikkharthi Jote’ panel also held a press conference near the RU central library, alleging eight separate irregularities.
GS candidate Fahim Reza claimed that indelible ink provided to voters was not lasting and accused election officials of barring students from entering certain centres (Siraji, Rabindra, and Sir Jagadish Chandra Bose Academic Building) with permission slips, despite prior approval.
He also accused rival panels, including JCD, of campaigning within restricted zones, within 100 yards of polling centres, and constructing unauthorised booths near Begum Khaleda Zia Hall and Habibur Rahman Halls, violating the election code of conduct.
The panel also alleged that outsiders had infiltrated the campus due to relaxed security enforcement.
In violation of the election code, wall graffiti was drawn on campus on Wednesday night. The Election Commission has taken no action in this regard, Fahim alleged.
Fahim stated that false rumors were being spread about Jamaat-e-Islami and Shibir engaging in armed politics, allegedly by JCD members both on campus and via social media.
GS candidate Fahim claimed that the election no longer reflected a level playing field. “We had appreciated the Election Commission while the voting environment remained fair,” he said.
“But in light of the recent irregularities, we have formally lodged complaints with the commission and expect swift, corrective measures.”
He added, “We want to remain in the election process, trusting in the students’ mandate. But we will not tolerate a situation where anything goes just for the sake of participation.”
Echoing his concerns, panel’s VP candidate Mostakur Rahman Zahid said it was difficult to determine whether the election had been conducted impartially. “It’s too early to judge the neutrality of this election,” he said. “However, we urge the Election Commission to ensure that the final results are declared in a fair and transparent manner.”
