Jucsu election results expected by 11pm tonight

Due to slow vote counting, the announcement of results for the Jahangirnagar University Central Students' Union (Jucsu) election has been delayed, sparking frustration and concern among students.

AKM Rashidul Alam, the university's Proctor and Member Secretary of the Election Commission, stated, "We have overcome the initial issues. We hope to complete hall-based counting by the evening and announce unofficial results between 10pm and 11pm."

Initially, votes were to be counted using OMR machines. However, following requests from several candidates, the process was switched to manual counting. Rashidul Alam explained, "We were not fully prepared for manual counting, which caused early delays, but the pace has since improved."

Vote counting began with five tables at the university's Senate Building and was later increased to 10. All counting stations were placed under CCTV surveillance. In some halls, the absence of polling agents further slowed the process.

Among the 10 female dormitories, no candidates contested in 59 out of the 150 total positions. In 67 positions, single candidates ran unopposed, so no voting was required. As a result, elections were held for only 24 positions.

Earlier, voting ended at 5:45pm yesterday amid allegations of vote rigging, mismanagement and boycott by several panels, including the Chhatra Dal panel.

Boycott

Tanzila Hossain Boishakhi, the Chhatra Dal's general secretary candidate, claimed they pulled out of the race because polling officers from Chhatra Shibir allegedly entered centres an hour before voting began.

She claimed Shibir supporters were engaged in vote rigging at various booths, with some female supporters casting multiple ballots.

Three teachers reportedly aligned with the BNP -- Prof Shamima Sultana, Nazrul Islam and Nahrin Khan -- also stepped down from their roles, citing widespread irregularities.

Besides, the Songsoptok Parshad panel, formed by factions of the Chhatra Front and Chhatra Union, also withdrew from the election, citing widespread irregularities.

The panel announced its decision last evening through an official statement, condemning what they described as a rigged and unfair electoral process.

Meanwhile, leaders and activists of the Chhatra Dal held a protest march and rally on the campus, demanding re-elections for Jucsu and hall unions.

The march started around 9:30pm at the New Arts Faculty and ended at Chourangi after passing in front of the Jucsu election commission office and Transport Square.

Protesters chanted slogans such as "Fraudulent Jucsu, we will not accept" and "Boycott, boycott, boycott Jucsu."

Voting began at 9am yesterday, with 178 candidates vying for 25 Jucsu posts.

Around 1,200 police personnel were deployed across the campus to ensure smooth proceedings.