Cucsu polls reschedule: Shibir-backed candidates suspicious, others welcome move

The Chittagong University Central Students' Union (Cucsu) and hall union elections have been postponed by three days, prompting mixed reactions from candidates.

The polls are now scheduled for 15 October instead of 12 October, while all university examinations have been suspended from 12–18 October, the Election Commission announced on Tuesday. The commission said the deferral followed candidates' concerns about insufficient time for campaigning due to Durga Puja and BCS exams.

Chhatra Shibir-backed candidates, whose members recently secured top posts in the Ducsu and Jucsu elections, voiced suspicion over the rescheduling. 

Saied Bin Habib, general secretary candidate and literature and human rights secretary of the CU Shibir unit, said Durga Puja holidays and BCS exam dates were not sudden announcements.

"They were known well in advance. The commission should have fixed 15 October from the start instead of 12 October," he said. "Rescheduling raises questions, especially as the Rucsu polls were also delayed." 

He added, "Many departments had already rescheduled exams for the election, and now they will need to reschedule again, which could disrupt academics."

Meanwhile, candidates backed by Chhatra Dal welcomed the deferral. 

Sajjad Hossain Hridoy, vice president candidate and organising secretary of the CU Chhatra Dal unit, said, "Many students were concerned about returning to campus after the Puja holidays. Travel, train tickets, and buses would have posed difficulties. The postponement eases these issues." 

He added, "However, exams should not be delayed excessively. We hope they proceed close to the original schedule."

Mahfuzur Rahman, VP candidate from Bangladesh Ganatantrik Chhatra Sangshad (Bagchas), said, "We see this positively. But suspending exams for a whole week should be reconsidered; otherwise, many departments could face session jams."

Other candidates also praised the additional campaign time.

Zashad Zakir, president of CU Chhatra Maitri and joint general secretary candidate from the Unity in Diversity panel, said, "More than 2,000 students observe Durga Puja, many travelling long distances. The three-day extension allows better participation in elections, though we had requested a full week."

The Ahingsha Shikkharthi Oikya panel also backed the postponement but urged the university to reconsider the week-long exam suspension. 

"By allowing classes and exams to continue as usual outside election days, the process can be participatory without harming students' studies," their statement said.

Independent VP candidate, Habibur Rahman, described the decision as "student-friendly." 

He said, "There were complaints about campus closures on Friday and Saturday, with voting on Sunday. Extending the timeline resolves this and benefits all voters and candidates. I am satisfied with the decision."

Chief Election Commissioner Prof Monir Uddin said the polls were rescheduled solely in response to candidates' requests. 

"We were aware of the holidays and had prepared to hold the election on 12 October as planned. But during a meeting on 22 September, most candidates and students requested a short delay. That is the only reason we moved the election to 15 October. All preparations are in place," he added.

According to the new schedule, the CU Central Students' Union and hall union elections will be held on Wednesday, 15 October, with 27,521 registered voters eligible to cast their ballots.