Travel costs, safety concerns, distance keep CU students from voting

Many students of the Chittagong University (CU) are choosing not to travel to their home districts to cast their votes in the upcoming national election, citing long distances, high travel costs and ongoing academic examinations as major obstacles.

Students have also voiced concerns about whether it would be safe to return to campus quickly in the post-election situation.

Rifat Mondol, a student at the university, said casting his vote in this much-anticipated election had been a cherished dream, but financial constraints made the journey impossible.

"My home is in northern Bangladesh, about 700 kilometres away from here. Spending three to four thousand taka just to travel to cast my vote is not possible for me," he said.

Echoing him, another student, Sakibul Islam, said cost was the main deterrent.

"Financial constraints are the main reason why we are not going to vote. It is natural that a middle-class student like me will not spend three and a half thousand taka just to cast a vote," he said.

In this situation, students are demanding transportation support from the university to make it easier for them to travel to their respective areas and cast their ballots.

Sohel Rana, a student of the Department of Sociology, said, "If the university arranged buses, it could be help for us to cast our votes. Moreover, I would have to return to campus quickly after voting."

"We do not know what the post-election situation will be like. Under these circumstances, there is concern about whether it will be safe to return to campus," he added.

To ensure students can travel home to vote, the Chittagong University Central Students' Union (Cucsu) has begun discussing the issue with the administration. They are negotiating for at least a train service up to Dhaka, along with bus arrangements.

Cucsu Vice-President Ibrahim Hossain Rony said, "We are discussing with the administration about providing trains and buses so that students can conveniently go to vote. No decision has been made yet, but we hope the administration will accept our demands and arrange transportation."

Acting Registrar of the University of Chittagong Professor Mohammed Saiful Islam said no formal request had yet been submitted.

"No written demand from students has been submitted yet to the administration. If an official demand is received, the administration will consider the matter," he said.

"However, whether arranging transportation for such a large number of students is even possible or not that is something needs careful consideration," he added.