Jucsu election: Final day sees candidates busy with last-minute preparations
Several candidates have voiced frustration over mandatory dope testing scheduled for the day, claiming it has disrupted their campaign activities.
Today (9 September) marks the final day of campaigning for the Jahangirnagar University Central Students' Union (Jucsu) elections, with candidates making a last-ditch effort to reach voters across faculties, departments, squares and key campus locations.
The university's Election Commission has permitted campaigning until midnight.
However, several candidates have voiced frustration over mandatory dope testing scheduled for the day, claiming it has disrupted their campaign activities. They criticised what they described as "a lack of foresight and mismanagement" on the part of the commission, arguing that it has undermined their preparations.
Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel
From 9am, candidates and their supporters were seen queueing at the university medical centre for dope tests. Many remarked that this consumed crucial campaign time on a decisive day.
Candidate Tanzin Tammi said: "Half of the time we should have been with students was spent at the medical centre for dope tests. However, we have been campaigning in the female halls since last night."
Jahidul Islam, contesting for general secretary from the Shongshoptok Parishad panel, added: "On the final day of campaigning, we are doing our best to reach voters. We're distributing leaflets and receiving an excellent response."
Campaigning has been lively, with participation from the Chhatra Dal-backed panel, the Chhatra Shibir-supported United Student Alliance, the Independent Student Platform, the Chhatra Union and Chhatra Front-backed Shongshoptok Parishad, and the Progressive Students' Unity Alliance. A number of independent candidates have also been active, with the pace of canvassing intensifying as the day progressed.
Professor AKM Rashidul Alam, member secretary of the Jucsu Election Commission, stressed that any campaigning beyond the deadline would be treated as a breach of election rules.
The long-awaited Jucsu election will take place on 11 September, after a gap of 33 years. Elections for the student unions of the university's 21 residential halls will also be held on the same day.
No separate polling centres will be set up; voting will take place in the respective halls from 9am.
A total of 11,919 registered voters will choose representatives for 25 positions, contested by 179 candidates.
