Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) has accused widespread irregularities and inconsistencies in the recently held Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (DUCSU) and hall union elections.
The student body demanded immediate accountability from the university administration and the Election Commission, warning that a re-election may be necessary if concerns are not addressed.
The allegations were raised by Abidul Islam, the JCD-backed vice president (VP) candidate, during a press conference at the university’s Madhur Canteen on Monday (22 September).
Reading from a written statement, he said, “We want justice for the injustice that has been done to us. If necessary, we will seek the opportunity to reconsider the DUCSU elections.”
Abidul Islam claimed that JCD-supported candidates faced obstacles throughout the electoral process, and that students’ voting rights were undermined due to procedural negligence and deliberate obstruction. Key allegations included:
Voter list and ballot rigging: Names of many voters were pre-signed, and some received pre-marked ballots. Discrepancies were observed in both turnout and voting rates, while the administration refused to provide voter lists or CCTV footage.
Ballot paper irregularities: Ballots lacked serial numbers, and information about printed, used, or canceled ballots was not disclosed. Polling agents remained uninformed.
Printing house controversy: Unprotected ballots were discovered a day before the election at a Nilkhet printing house, raising concerns of fake ballots.
Vote counting ambiguity: Verification of vote-counting software occurred without briefing candidates or polling agents.
Obstruction of polling agents: Many agents were denied entry due to delayed ID issuance, while others were excluded last-minute.
Polling center confusion: Voting took place in 18 centers instead of the eight originally communicated, hampering agent deployment.
Appointment of polling officers: Allegedly handled by the university rather than the Election Commission, with some officers filing false complaints against candidates.
Security and ballot issues: Outsiders reportedly allowed onto campus, non-transparent ballot boxes used, and marker shortages caused improper counting.
Ink quality concerns: Temporary ink raised fears of multiple voting.
Abidul Islam warned that if the authorities fail to investigate these claims, JCD will push for reconsideration of the 2025 DUCSU elections. He also accused the administration of deliberately delaying action despite repeated complaints and warned that the polls could go down in history as “questionable.”
JCD leaders pledged to continue their movement to protect students’ voting rights and uphold democratic values within the university.
