How visible are minority candidates in Jucsu polls?

A total of 179 candidates are contesting 25 posts in the upcoming Jahangirnagar University Central Students' Union (Jucsu) election, scheduled for 11 September, with 11,919 registered voters set to cast their ballots.

Among them, only 26 candidates are from minority communities — eight from the indigenous community, 13 from the Hindu community, three from the Buddhist community, and two from Christian backgrounds — despite the university having more than 150 indigenous and over a thousand Hindu students. This highlights the limited participation of minority groups in the polls.

While students are showing both excitement and concern, many indigenous students see the polls as a vital platform to safeguard their rights, cultural identity, and safe campus life.

Mazharul Islam, general secretary candidate from the Islami Chhatra Shibir-backed panel, said they had tried to include indigenous candidates but "none showed interest."

Minority candidates, however, point to cyberbullying, religious discrimination, and family restrictions as key barriers.

Sukanto Barman, contesting for the post of education and research secretary, said, "Indigenous students are always subjected to hateful attacks online. This is why their participation is low."

Igimi Chakma, running for drama secretary, recalled being harassed through fake Facebook pages last year during attacks in the Hill Tracts. "I was abused so relentlessly that I had to delete my account. In such an environment, minorities cannot feel encouraged to participate," she said.

Doli Rani Roy, a sports secretary candidate at Pritilata Hall Students' Council, said, "It is essential to create a safe environment for women and minority students. Elected representatives must ensure that every student, regardless of religion or ethnicity, can raise their demands."

Soma Dumri, a student, said, "Out of 25 seats, 6 are reserved for women, but none for indigenous students. As a community, we have unique challenges and aspirations. We have long demanded a reserved seat for indigenous students, but the administration has ignored this. Still, we feel it is crucial to have indigenous representation in Jucsu to safeguard our rights and ensure equal participation."

Rezwana Karim Snigdha, associate professor in the Department of Anthropology at JU, said, "In the 50-year history of Jahangirnagar University, no indigenous student has ever been seen in leadership positions within the university's organisations."