Thursday, 16 October, 2025
Tensions erupted between Islami Chhatra Shibir and Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) at Chittagong University on Wednesday afternoon after an LED screen outside a faculty building suddenly went dark during the CUCSU vote count.
The incident occurred around 5:30pm in front of the English Department at the New Arts Building. Witnesses said JCD activists, alleging vote rigging inside the counting centre, attempted to force open the building’s main gate before police intervened to restore order.
According to witnesses and police sources, Shibir activists were seated in front of the LED screen after voting had concluded. JCD activists, accompanied by their leaders, arrived at the spot. Shibir members claimed a JCD activist had unplugged the screen to “charge his phone,” causing it to shut down.
However, JCD members accused Shibir of attempting to manipulate the results and blamed them for the disruption. The ensuing verbal confrontation escalated into a brief face-off outside the building before police arrived to disperse both sides. The LED display was restored after roughly 30 minutes.
CU Chhatra Shibir’s finance secretary Mujahidul Islam told reporters, “We were sitting there when some Chhatra Dal activists arrived. One of them went near the LED screen, and it suddenly shut down. Then others accused us of rigging votes and tried to break in. They provoked us verbally, but we stayed calm and didn’t fall into their trap.”
CU Chhatra Dal convener Alauddin Mohsin countered, “Shibir was deliberately trying to manipulate election results with the help of their own people. They turned off the LED screen so no one could see what was happening inside. We intervened to stop it.”
The faculty dean responsible for the counting centre could not be reached for comment.
Hathazari Circle Additional Superintendent of Police Kazi Tarek Aziz told The Daily Star, “We have dispersed both groups. The situation is now under control.”
The long-awaited Chittagong University Central Students' Union (CUCSU) and hall union elections concluded peacefully on October 15, 2025, after a hiatus of 35 years.
Approximately 27,517 students cast their votes to elect a 26-member central executive body and representatives for 14 hall unions. The elections were conducted using Optical Mark Recognition (OMR) ballots across five faculty buildings, with over 700 booths set up in 60 rooms. A special polling center was arranged for visually impaired students.
Voting commenced at 9:30 AM and concluded at 4:00 PM without interruption. By 1:00 PM, approximately 35% of eligible voters had cast their ballots. Despite initial concerns over the availability of indelible ink, which was reportedly unavailable nationwide, the election proceeded smoothly.
Post-election, Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) raised concerns about alleged irregularities during the voting process. The party accused the university administration and election commission of negligence, claiming that complaints were ignored and officials deflected responsibility.
JCD's vice-president candidate, Sajjad Hossain Hridoy, expressed dissatisfaction with the handling of the election, stating that irregularities were observed at every stage.
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Tensions erupted between Islami Chhatra Shibir and Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) at Chittagong University on Wednesday afternoon after an LED screen outside a faculty building suddenly went dark during the CUCSU vote count.
The incident occurred around 5:30pm in front of the English Department at the New Arts Building. Witnesses said JCD activists, alleging vote rigging inside the counting centre, attempted to force open the building’s main gate before police intervened to restore order.
According to witnesses and police sources, Shibir activists were seated in front of the LED screen after voting had concluded. JCD activists, accompanied by their leaders, arrived at the spot. Shibir members claimed a JCD activist had unplugged the screen to “charge his phone,” causing it to shut down.
However, JCD members accused Shibir of attempting to manipulate the results and blamed them for the disruption. The ensuing verbal confrontation escalated into a brief face-off outside the building before police arrived to disperse both sides. The LED display was restored after roughly 30 minutes.
CU Chhatra Shibir’s finance secretary Mujahidul Islam told reporters, “We were sitting there when some Chhatra Dal activists arrived. One of them went near the LED screen, and it suddenly shut down. Then others accused us of rigging votes and tried to break in. They provoked us verbally, but we stayed calm and didn’t fall into their trap.”
CU Chhatra Dal convener Alauddin Mohsin countered, “Shibir was deliberately trying to manipulate election results with the help of their own people. They turned off the LED screen so no one could see what was happening inside. We intervened to stop it.”
The faculty dean responsible for the counting centre could not be reached for comment.
Hathazari Circle Additional Superintendent of Police Kazi Tarek Aziz told The Daily Star, “We have dispersed both groups. The situation is now under control.”
The long-awaited Chittagong University Central Students' Union (CUCSU) and hall union elections concluded peacefully on October 15, 2025, after a hiatus of 35 years.
Approximately 27,517 students cast their votes to elect a 26-member central executive body and representatives for 14 hall unions. The elections were conducted using Optical Mark Recognition (OMR) ballots across five faculty buildings, with over 700 booths set up in 60 rooms. A special polling center was arranged for visually impaired students.
Voting commenced at 9:30 AM and concluded at 4:00 PM without interruption. By 1:00 PM, approximately 35% of eligible voters had cast their ballots. Despite initial concerns over the availability of indelible ink, which was reportedly unavailable nationwide, the election proceeded smoothly.
Post-election, Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) raised concerns about alleged irregularities during the voting process. The party accused the university administration and election commission of negligence, claiming that complaints were ignored and officials deflected responsibility.
JCD's vice-president candidate, Sajjad Hossain Hridoy, expressed dissatisfaction with the handling of the election, stating that irregularities were observed at every stage.
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