Unsigned ballots at Cucsu election, lack of indelible ink: Chief election commissioner assures proper action
"I voted just a few minutes ago. Look, the ink has already rubbed off," he said
Allegations of unsigned ballot papers and a lack of indelible ink have marred the ongoing Chittagong University Central Students' Union (Cucsu) election, which is being held after 35 years.
Saeed Muhammad Mushfiq Hasan, a candidate for the position of joint general secretary from the Sarbabhouma Chhatra Oikya panel, claimed that some ballots in the IT Building did not bear the official's signature, raising questions about the transparency of the voting process.
Abir Bin Zabeed, a vice-president candidate from Binirman Chhatra Oikya, said, "We want the Election Commission to investigate the matter seriously so that no candidate or voter is misled."
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Chief Election Commissioner Dr Monir Uddin admitted, "The returning officer from the IT Building reported that around 10 to 12 ballots were missing signatures. It was an unintentional oversight. We are marking these ballots and obtaining the signatures of the presiding and concerned officers to ensure clarity during counting. There is no scope for manipulation."
While several irregularities have been reported throughout the day, Dr Monir Uddin said the commission is addressing each issue promptly.
Meanwhile, panels from Islami Chhatra Shibir and Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) have alleged that the lack of indelible ink could lead to "rigging" of votes.
The allegations were made this morning after the vice president (VP) candidates from both panels cast their votes at the Faculty of Engineering polling centre.
Sajjad Hossain Hridoy, the VP candidate for the Chhatra Dal panel, told reporters, "I voted just a few minutes ago. Look, the ink has already rubbed off," while gesturing to his finger.
"We repeatedly demanded the use of indelible ink, but the administration ignored us. There is a fear of vote rigging here because it is impossible to properly verify 28,000 students at the polling centres, especially when many don't closely resemble their photo IDs," Hridoy added.
He stated that the panel would formally communicate their concerns to the election commissioner.
Regarding the issue, Chief Election Commissioner Dr Monir Uddin explained that the indelible ink used in national elections is imported from Germany and destroyed afterward.
"We tried to obtain it but couldn't. We used the best available ink in Bangladesh, but it was not as effective. However, in today's context, ink is not the main means of voter identification—student ID cards and photo-based voter lists ensure proper verification," he said.
Ibrahim Hossain Rony, the VP candidate from the Islami Chhatra Shibir panel, echoed the complaint, confirming that the administration was informed of their demand from the beginning.
"It is regrettable that the students' opinion has been overlooked. I will not use the word 'rigging,' but you will see what happens. The voting process also seems slow to us," Rony told reporters.
The long-awaited Cucsu balloting, the first since 1990, began at 9:30am today across 15 centres.
Voting for the visually impaired
Visually impaired students at Chittagong University have alleged discrimination in the voting process of the Chittagong University Central Students' Union (CUCSU) and hall elections.
Although a separate polling centre was set up on the second floor of the Cucsu building for visually impaired students under the supervision of two election commissioners, voters complained of bias in timing and facilities.
They said voting for others began at 9am, while theirs started after 11am, and that the promised Braille system was not provided.
Ayesha Akhter, a visually impaired student from the Political Science department, said, "We were told Braille ballots would be available, but that never happened. Starting our vote two hours late feels unfair. Such discrimination from the university is deeply disappointing."
Another student, Ariful Islam, added, "This unequal treatment has discouraged us. We hope the elected representatives will work to end such discrimination."
Earlier in the day, the university's Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr Muhammad Yahya Akhter, described the environment as "peaceful" and "festive," noting that no complaints had been received so far.
Visiting the polling centres, CU VC told reporters, "Voting is taking place in a festive atmosphere. We organised the election in response to students' long-standing demand. There have been no complaints so far. The election environment is peaceful, we've even seen rival candidates campaigning together, embracing one another, which is heartening."
After a 35-year gap, Cucsu elections are being held at Chittagong University, bringing an atmosphere of festivity among students—alongside debates over irregularities.
A total of 27,518 registered students are eligible to cast 40 votes each across the central and hall councils.
