Sheikh Jisan Ahmed, the cultural secretary of Jahangirnagar University Central Students’ Union (Jucsu), has announced his resignation, citing allegations of administrative intervention, obstacles in decision-making, and political influence.
In a detailed post on his Facebook account on Friday afternoon, Ahmed outlined the reasons behind his decision. This followed a preliminary post on Thursday night, where he stated he would formally submit his resignation letter to the university administration this coming Sunday.
Ahmed, who emphasised that he was elected as an independent candidate rather than under any political party or panel banner, noted that he had always intended to serve independently. He added that he had previously decided he would not remain in the role if denied the opportunity to work freely.
The outgoing secretary specifically alleged administrative interference regarding the selection of presenters for a recent central cultural programme.
He claimed that although a list of presenters was finalised in consultation with teachers from the Teacher-Student Centre (TSC), it was subsequently altered multiple times.
According to Ahmed, high-level administrative directives were issued just two hours before the event to include two additional presenters. Ultimately, seven presenters performed, a situation he described as astonishing and driven by political motives.
Ahmed further stated that these interventions led to one presenter deciding never to host a programme again, while another felt insulted and left the venue. He remarked that as an elected student representative, it was impossible for him to accept such circumstances.
In another incident during the programme, Ahmed claimed the administration pressured him to announce the names of several student leaders over the microphone, most of whom were unknown to him.
This announcement reportedly triggered dissatisfaction among Chhatra Dal activists, who subsequently pressured him to issue a public apology. Ahmed lamented that he felt he had been reduced to a “pawn” controlled by others’ whims.
Despite serving for the past 15 days with a hand fracture, Ahmed alleged that his hard work was not properly valued.
He further complained that as Cultural Secretary, he was never given the scope to make independent decisions, as the university administration ignored his opinions and failed to ensure a functional working environment.
In the concluding part of his statement, Sheikh Jisan Ahmed maintained that he prioritises self-respect over political power. He also offered a sincere apology to anyone he may have hurt through his actions during his tenure.
