Vote counting in JUCSU elections underway with no clear end in sight
Vote counting in the Jahangirnagar University Central Students' Union (JUCSU) and hall union elections is still underway and is expected to continue throughout the day, an election official said on Friday morning.
The final results may be announced at any time later tonight, the official added, requesting anonymity.
The counting of votes for 11 hall unions at Jahangirnagar University has been completed, while vote counting is still ongoing for the remaining 10 halls.
Meanwhile, the counting of votes for all 21 halls in the Central Students’ Union (JUCSU) is yet to begin, the official added, indicating the process may stretch late into the night.
Earlier, voting ended at 5:45pm on Thursday amid allegations of vote rigging, mismanagement and boycott by several panels including Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD)-backed panel.
Tanzila Hossain Boishakhi, JCD’s general secretary candidate, said they pulled out because polling officers from Islami Chhatra Shibir allegedly entered centres an hour before voting began.
She claimed Shibir supporters were engaged in vote rigging at various booths, with some female supporters casting multiple ballots.
Three teachers reportedly aligned with BNP -- Prof Shamima Sultana, Nazrul Islam, and Nahrin Khan -- also stepped down from their roles, citing widespread irregularities.
Besides, Songsoptok Parshad panel—formed by factions of Chhatra Front and Chhatra Union—has also withdrawn from the election, citing widespread irregularities.
The panel announced its decision on Thursday evening through an official statement, condemning what they described as a rigged and unfair electoral process.
Meanwhile, leaders and activists of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) staged a protest march and rally on the campus, demanding re-elections for the Jahangirnagar University Central Student Council (JUCSU) and hall unions.
The march started around 9:30 pm on Thursday from the New Arts Faculty and ended at Chourangi after passing in front of the JUCSU election commission office and Transport Square.
Protesters chanted slogans such as “Fraudulent JUCSU, we will not accept” and “Boycott, boycott, boycott JUCSU.”
Voting began at 9am in a festive atmosphere on Thursday, with 178 candidates vying for 25 JUCSU posts.
Around 1,200 police personnel were deployed across the campus to ensure smooth proceedings.