Paper, posters, and passion: Cucsu after 35 years electrifying campus

Excitement is running high across Chittagong University as students gear up for the long-awaited Central Students' Union (Cucsu) and hall council elections, returning after a gap of 35 years.

From leaflets that grow into trees to posters shaped like buses, banknotes, and gavel hammers, the candidates' creativity is stealing the show as much as their promises.

With voting set for 15 October, the campus has turned into a buzzing political arena where each candidate tries to outshine the others, not just through fiery speeches or door-to-door canvassing, but through imagination and innovation. The fierce contest has sparked a burst of creativity, turning the campaign into a festival of ideas.

Take Md Shubho Hossain, for instance. Contesting for Secretary of Social Welfare and Environment, he distributed eco-friendly seed-paper leaflets that sprout into trees when planted.

"Since my position relates to the environment, I wanted my campaign to carry that spirit," he said proudly. "This leaflet symbolises my environmental commitment. When it falls to the ground, a tree will grow from it."

A similar green approach came from Mahmudur Rahman Tamim, running for the same post in Shahjalal Hall.

Meanwhile, Mir Sumaiya Ahmed, a candidate for Executive Member, printed her leaflets in four languages — Chakma, Chatgaiya, Marma, and Bangla — to reach and represent every corner of the campus.

Even the Cucsu vice-presidential race has caught the creative bug. Sajjad Hossain Hriday's poster mirrors the university's iconic shuttle train, a lifeline and emblem of campus spirit. 

At Bijoy 24 Hall, Morsheda Khanam Tamanna took her campaign up a notch, turning her manifesto into a mock newspaper titled "Cucsu Barta." Her pledges appeared as short news stories, a clever twist that quickly became the talk of the campus.

The wave of creativity didn't stop there. Md Raihan Chowdhury, running for General Secretary of Shahjalal Hall, went off the beaten track, designing his poster in the shape of Bangladesh's map, a move soon echoed by Md Shoaib, an Assistant General Secretary candidate from Alaol Hall.

Meanwhile, Sheikh Sadia Siddika, contesting for Vice President at Shamsunnahar Hall, thought outside the box altogether. She herself created Braille leaflets for visually impaired students, a first in CU's election history.

She said she learned from YouTube to make Braille leaflets herself, sending a message for proper support of visually impaired students.

Innovation kept rolling in. Rabiul Awal, contesting for Career Development and International Affairs Secretary, printed his promises on non-judicial stamp paper, a symbolic gesture of accountability.

Similarly, Abdullah Al Sakif Rahman, running for Law and Human Rights Secretary, took a page from the courtroom and distributed gavel-shaped leaflets. "The gavel represents justice and fairness," he said. "It fits my role perfectly and draws students' attention."

Yunus Mia, running for Office Secretary, printed his leaflets as two-taka notes, matching his ballot number.

Science Uddin Ahmed, contesting for Communication and Accommodation Secretary, used bus-shaped leaflets to advocate for dedicated student transport. "The shuttle train isn't enough," he said. "If elected, I'll push for separate buses for students."

Elsewhere, Abdullah Al Mamun went for a butterfly-wing design, while Aiyubur Rahman Tawfiq, a Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal nominee for Assistant General Secretary, printed his materials in the shape of the numeral 1, matching his ballot number.

S M Meheraj Hossain Chowdhury, another Communication and Accommodation Secretary candidate, designed a passport-style leaflet, while Sarah Chowdhury, running for Women's Welfare Secretary, printed hers to look like US dollar bills — symbolic of global connectivity and ambition.

At Shahid Abdur Rob Hall, Monir Hossain, a General Secretary candidate, printed his leaflets with the original map of Palestine, showing the land lost to Israeli occupation.
"The map on my leaflet is of real Palestine," he said. "It's my way of showing solidarity against occupation."

Yet, amid all this colour and competition, one candidate has taken a different path. Mirazur Rahman Masuk, refusing to print a single leaflet, has chosen an eco-conscious campaign.
"Every poster means a tree cut down," he said. "Around one full-grown tree is needed for 20 kilograms of paper. After the election, those papers just turn into waste. I don't want to harm the greenery of our campus, so I've gone paperless this time."

As the campaign deadline approaches, 9am on 14 October, just 24 hours before the polls, the battle of ideas, designs, and pledges grows fiercer by the hour.

The Cucsu and hall council elections will be held on 15 October, from 9am to 4pm, with 415 candidates contesting for 26 central positions. The race is tight, the creativity unmatched, and the campus alive with an energy unseen in decades — a true celebration of student democracy at Chittagong University.