Saturday, 13 September, 2025
BNP-leaning teachers at Jahangirnagar University have described the JUCSU election as a “farce” and demanded fresh balllot.
They alleged that “falsehood and propaganda” were used to corner the BNP-backed Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal even before voting began.
They accused several election commission members for being aligned with a political group.
In a statement on Friday night, the university’s Jatiyatabadi Teachers’ Forum said: “This particular political party may utter the name of the Creator in words, but for the sake of winning an election they did not refrain from committing sins like falsehood.”
The demand came a day after Chhatra Dal boycotted the polls midway on Thursday, citing widespread irregularities and fraud. They also staged several demonstrations on campus demanding cancellation of the election.
The teachers’ forum said: “On the 10th of September around 10pm, false information was spread on social media against Chhatra Dal centring the JUCSU and hall union polls. Members and online activists of a particular political party widely circulated (made viral) those claims.
“In reality, at that time, only ballot boxes and other equipment were sent under the supervision of the returning officers. Ballot papers were dispatched to polling centres the next morning at around 8:30am. By such vile falsehood, Chhatra Dal was cornered even before the election began.”
According to the BNP-aligned teachers, “Because of the misdeeds of those ‘commission members with political allegiance’ and their ally provosts, JU Chhatra Dal boycotted the JUCSU and hall union polls, alleging widespread irregularities.
“Reports emerged of fake votes being cast and harassment (mobbing) of candidates, agents and journalists at Begum Fazilatunnesa Mujib Hall (Hall No 15), Jahanara Imam Hall, Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmad Hall and Kabi Kazi Nazrul Islam Hall.
“The provost of Hall No 15 was accused of openly soliciting votes for one panel, while observers witnessed ballot papers lying unattended and other irregularities there. Strikingly, the hall union ballot papers carried serial numbers and seals, but the JUCSU ballots did not. Yet serial numbers are essential on ballot papers to ensure validity and for use in the count.”
The forum said: “Even the full voter list was not supplied in photo-attached format, creating difficulties in identifying voters. Due to inconsistencies in the list, many students could not cast their votes in their own halls. In many cases, indelible ink was not used to prevent double voting.
“We believe the circulation of misleading information against Chhatra Dal on the night before the election and the irregularities on polling day are linked. We strongly condemn this farcical election staged to ensure victory for the candidates of a particular political party, and demand a fresh acceptable election through proper resolution of these allegations.”
Voting took place throughout Thursday, followed by counting after 10pm. But with the tally unfinished, the authorities could not announce results even by midnight on Friday.
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BNP-leaning teachers at Jahangirnagar University have described the JUCSU election as a “farce” and demanded fresh balllot.
They alleged that “falsehood and propaganda” were used to corner the BNP-backed Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal even before voting began.
They accused several election commission members for being aligned with a political group.
In a statement on Friday night, the university’s Jatiyatabadi Teachers’ Forum said: “This particular political party may utter the name of the Creator in words, but for the sake of winning an election they did not refrain from committing sins like falsehood.”
The demand came a day after Chhatra Dal boycotted the polls midway on Thursday, citing widespread irregularities and fraud. They also staged several demonstrations on campus demanding cancellation of the election.
The teachers’ forum said: “On the 10th of September around 10pm, false information was spread on social media against Chhatra Dal centring the JUCSU and hall union polls. Members and online activists of a particular political party widely circulated (made viral) those claims.
“In reality, at that time, only ballot boxes and other equipment were sent under the supervision of the returning officers. Ballot papers were dispatched to polling centres the next morning at around 8:30am. By such vile falsehood, Chhatra Dal was cornered even before the election began.”
According to the BNP-aligned teachers, “Because of the misdeeds of those ‘commission members with political allegiance’ and their ally provosts, JU Chhatra Dal boycotted the JUCSU and hall union polls, alleging widespread irregularities.
“Reports emerged of fake votes being cast and harassment (mobbing) of candidates, agents and journalists at Begum Fazilatunnesa Mujib Hall (Hall No 15), Jahanara Imam Hall, Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmad Hall and Kabi Kazi Nazrul Islam Hall.
“The provost of Hall No 15 was accused of openly soliciting votes for one panel, while observers witnessed ballot papers lying unattended and other irregularities there. Strikingly, the hall union ballot papers carried serial numbers and seals, but the JUCSU ballots did not. Yet serial numbers are essential on ballot papers to ensure validity and for use in the count.”
The forum said: “Even the full voter list was not supplied in photo-attached format, creating difficulties in identifying voters. Due to inconsistencies in the list, many students could not cast their votes in their own halls. In many cases, indelible ink was not used to prevent double voting.
“We believe the circulation of misleading information against Chhatra Dal on the night before the election and the irregularities on polling day are linked. We strongly condemn this farcical election staged to ensure victory for the candidates of a particular political party, and demand a fresh acceptable election through proper resolution of these allegations.”
Voting took place throughout Thursday, followed by counting after 10pm. But with the tally unfinished, the authorities could not announce results even by midnight on Friday.
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