After Ducsu, Chhatra Dal blanked in Jucsu polls — what went wrong?
Chhatra Dal’s VP candidate Sheikh Sadi received only 648 votes, while GS candidate Tanzila Hossain Baishakhi managed 941 votes
Despite weeks of campaigning, the Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal-backed panel failed to win a single post in the Jahangirnagar University Central Students' Union (Jucsu) election.
The organisation candidates lagged far behind in every position, with vote counts showing their share often amounted to only a fraction of what winning candidates secured.
It suffered a similar defeat in the Dhaka University Central Students' Union (Ducsu) election, where Islami Chhatra Shibir claimed a sweeping victory.
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Some observers pointed to Shibir's strong organisational base, grassroots activities, strategic nominations, and a divided opposition – factors that paved the way for its sweeping victory.
Conversely, Chhatra Dal failed to mount an effective counter-strategy. Specially, in the Jucsu polls, internal grouping and teachers' interference kept it from functioning as "one panel", according to organisation insiders and campus sources.
Observers noted that Shibir's use of a "dummy candidate" for the VP post in the Jucsu polls smoothed the path for the victory of Swatantra Shikkharthi Sammilon's Abdur Rashid Zitu.
In contrast, Chhatra Dal failed to secure even a single central position. Their vote counts were consistently one-third or less, compared to those of winning candidates.
For example, Chhatra Dal's VP candidate Sheikh Sadi received only 648 votes, while Abdur Rashid Zitu won the post with 3,334 votes. Similarly, Chhatra Dal's GS candidate Tanjila Hossain Boishakhi managed just 941 votes, whereas Shibir's Mazharul Islam swept the general secretary position with 3,930 votes.
This pattern was repeated across most posts: Chhatra Dal candidates hovered in the hundreds, while victors secured thousands.
Chhatra Dal cornered in Jucsu polls through vile propaganda: Nationalist Teachers' Forum
Adding to the turmoil, Chhatra Dal-backed candidates announced a boycott almost at the last stage of the voting, alleging widespread irregularities, fake ballots, obstruction of polling agents, and administrative bias for Shibir.
At a press conference, they declared the election process "rampant with irregularities."
Similarly, three members of the Nationalist Teachers' Forum also boycotted, branding the election questionable.
BNP-backed election commission member Mafruhi Sattar resigned mid-poll, citing unresolved complaints, further fueling allegations of bias.
What insiders say
Although most Chhatra Dal leaders and activists declined to comment on record, several, speaking anonymously, told TBS that their panel never functioned as a true panel because of internal grouping. Coordination among candidates was absent, and despite raising significant funds allocated for the campaign, little money reached the ground.
They further said "rumours spread by Shibir" left the Chhatra Dal cornered nationwide. Administrative mismanagement, along with campus-wide propaganda against their panel, further pushed it onto the back foot.
The activists alleged that manual voting created scope for rigging, but stressed that weak organisational capacity and poor campaigning meant Chhatra Dal had lost the election long before polling day.
They added that panel members were not informed beforehand about the boycott decision. The announcement came after voting had begun, though, in their view, it should have been declared earlier.
According to them, the boycott was a calculated move, as some senior leaders opposed a mostly junior panel winning, believing it would not secure their political future at Jahangirnagar University.
They further accused teachers and "some ex-leaders and students" of blatant interference in picking panel candidates, claiming less qualified candidates benefitted from their influence.
What Chhatra Dal candidates say
When asked about the Chhatra Dal's poor show, Wasim Ahmed Anik, member secretary of the university's Chhatra Dal unit, told The Business Standard, "We didn't lose the election, we withdrew from voting.
Despite repeatedly informing the university administration about various irregularities – even just two hours before the end of voting – no action was taken, so we chose to boycott the election."
Regarding a question if teachers' politics affected Chhatra Dal's defeat in Jucsu polls, Anik said the boycotting bodies – the Nationalist Teachers Forum and Chhatra Dal – are two different platforms.
"Four separate panels of candidates boycotted the election. Three teachers, including members of the Jucsu Election Commission, also boycotted. There was no coordination between us," he said.
The Chhatra Dal leader further said, "Historically, our organisation has refrained from legitimising elections even during the Awami League era. This election was conducted in a highly irregular and manipulated manner, so we chose not to endorse it."
Tanzila Hossain Boishakhi, GS candidate of Chhatra Dal, said, "I don't think Chhatra Dal is defeated. Our main achievement is refusing to legitimise a rigged election. This boycott is, in itself, a victory for us."
She further said, "The election was unfair, predetermined, and the administration gave undue advantages [to a group]. Whether we participated or not, the outcome would have been manipulated, as Chhatra Dal is a pro-liberation force. Our panel was inclusive, youth-led, and student-friendly, and we stand by that."
The Jucsu election concluded Saturday evening after three days of manual vote counting.
In the end, the Shibir-backed panel claimed a landslide victory, winning 20 out of 25 posts in the central body. Independent candidates secured three seats, while two went to Bangladesh Ganatantrik Chhatra Sangsad (BGCS).
Chhatra Dal candidates and their vote counts:
Vice President (VP): Sheikh Sadi Hasan – 648 votes
General Secretary (GS): Tanjila Hossain Boishakhi – 941 votes
Assistant GS (Female): Anjuman Ara Ikra – 764 votes
Assistant GS (Male): Sajjadul Islam – 701 votes
Education & Research Secretary: Yamin Howlader – 435 votes
Environment & Nature Conservation Secretary: Likhan Chandra Roy – 1,268 votes
Literature & Publication Secretary: Zahid Hasan Khan – 638 votes
Cultural Secretary: Abidur Rahman – 635 votes
Drama Secretary: Aminul Islam – 1,656 votes
Information Technology & Library Secretary: Jaber Hasan – 682 votes
Social Service & HR Development Secretary: Tawhidur Rahman Khan – 633 votes
Assistant Social Service (Male): Shakil Sardar – 570 votes
Assistant Social Service (Female): Kazi Mousumi Afroze – 723 votes
Sports Secretary: Ujjal Hasan – 543 votes
Assistant Sports Secretary (Male): Ruhul Amin Sweet – 902 votes
Assistant Sports Secretary (Female): Shahanaz Parvin (Shanu) – 823 votes
Transport & Communication Secretary: Zahidul Islam – 777 votes
Health & Food Security Secretary: Mominul Islam – 1,091 votes
Executive Members (Female):
Sumaiya Sultana – 487 votes
Happy Akter Shila – 667 votes
Shayla Sabrin – 965 votes (closest to the 1,000 mark, but fell short)
Executive Members (Male):
Hamidullah Salman – 1,177 votes (second-highest Chhatra Dal tally overall, yet far from victory)
Mehedi Hasan – 753 votes
A M Rafidullah – 807 votes
Taken together, these figures show a clear pattern: Chhatra Dal candidates remained stuck in the three-digit range, with only a handful crossing 1,000 votes. In an election where winning candidates commanded upwards of 3,000 votes, Chhatra Dal was simply not competitive.
