Despite a relatively calm atmosphere and a voter turnout of nearly 60%, the Chittagong University Central Students’ Union (Cucsu) elections on Wednesday were overshadowed by dissatisfaction among candidates from several panels.
Allegations of irregularities were raised by candidates from both the Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) and Islami Chhatra Shibir, including the absence of indelible ink on voters’ fingers and delays in starting the voting.
Voting continued from 9am to 4pm at 15 polling stations, and the counting of ballots began around 5:30pm. However, in most centres across five faculty buildings voting began at around 9:20am.
As of 9:30pm, when this report was filed, the vote counting was still underway.
CU Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Administration), Md Kamal Uddin, told media that votes will be counted using OMR technology, ensuring no time is wasted.
Chief Election Commissioner Monir Uddin said the results would be announced at the BBA faculty after the vote counting, with the final results expected late Wednesday night or Thursday morning.
Quiet election day
The Cucsu elections, held after 35 years, saw a quieter-than-usual election day, with the campus remaining relatively calm throughout. There were no major clashes or visible disruptions, a rarity in student politics at CU.
However, many candidates openly expressed dissatisfaction with the voting process.
“We participated in good faith, but irregularities were evident from the very beginning, yet the administration remained silent,” said Sajjad Hossain Hridoy, JCD’s vice president (VP) candidate.
Hridoy, one of the main contenders for the post, highlighted the absence of indelible ink on voters’ fingers during the voting process, along with a slight delay in the start of voting.
Mohammad Ibrahim Rony, VP candidate from the Shibir-backed panel, echoed similar concerns, stating that the lack of indelible ink posed a risk of fake votes being cast.
Some of the most vocal protests came from candidates representing smaller panels. At the last moments of voting, at least five panels described the election process as “hijacked.”
During a press conference, Riju Lakshmi Abroad, VP candidate from the Droha Porishod panel, said, “The administration has behaved in a biased manner, and these issues need to be addressed.”
Despite complaints from various panels and candidates, the Vice Chancellor of Chittagong University, Professor Dr Yahiya Akter, told TIMES of Bangladesh that the election had proceeded largely in an orderly fashion.
“We witnessed one of the most peaceful Cucsu elections in recent memory, and the election process is essentially a model for the upcoming national election,” he said.
He further emphasised that the issues raised by candidates did not undermine the fairness of the election. “With a voter list that included photographs, the possibility of fake voting was virtually eliminated.”
Meanwhile, Chief Election Commissioner Professor Monir Uddin defended the integrity of the election process. “We ensured strict monitoring and made every effort to accommodate all parties fairly. No major breaches were reported to us during the voting period.”
“We also took great care in sourcing indelible ink, ensuring that only the best available in the country was used.”
A total of 689 booths were set up across 60 rooms to facilitate the voting process. The entire process was displayed live on 14 LED screens across the campus.
Ballots were cast on paper, but counting is being carried out using Optical Mark Recognition (OMR) machines to ensure accuracy and efficiency.
According to the Election Commission, a total of 908 candidates are contesting this year’s Cucsu elections – 415 for central positions, representing 13 panels and independent candidates, and 493 for hall and hostel councils.
Tensions rise as vote counting begins
Meanwhile, during the evening vote-counting process, activists from Chhatra Shibir and Chhatra Dal gathered in various areas to support their respective panels, protesting several decisions made by the election authorities.
In response, security measures were further tightened across the campus to maintain order.
As the report was being filed, an air of unease was visibly growing on campus.
Security had remained stringent throughout the day. In addition to the regular police force, personnel from Ansar, APBN, RAB, and BGB were deployed to ensure a peaceful election environment.
Speaking to the media, Superintendent of Police of Chattogram, Saiful Islam Shantu, expressed optimism about the conduct of the election.
“All participating panels have demonstrated a commendable level of responsibility, setting a rare precedent in campus politics. We will continue to exercise the highest level of caution until vote counting and all other election procedures are fully completed,” he said.
