Students gear up for JUCSU polls after decades
Staff Reporter:
# 273 candidates file nominations for 25 posts
# EC sends letter seeking Army deployment
Jahangirnagar University (JU) is gearing up for its Central Students’ Union (JUCSU) election on 11 September, marking the first polls in more than three decades and igniting unprecedented excitement across campus.
Officials confirmed that 273 candidates submitted nomination papers for 25 central posts by the final deadline. JUCSU Election Commission Member Secretary and University Proctor AKM Rashidul Alam told a press briefing on Thursday that 299 students had collected nomination forms in total.
Alongside the central election, polls will be held for 21 residential hall unions. Of 514 students who collected hall nomination papers, 467 filed their candidacies. “We are still compiling hall-wise details and will make adjustments if necessary,” said commission member Professor Mafruhi Sattar.
Student political activity has surged since the elections were announced. Islami Chhatra Shibir, under the banner “Samonnito Chhatra Jote” (Integrated Students’ Alliance), unveiled its panel outside the old administrative building on Thursday.
The slate features activists involved in the July mass uprising, six female candidates, one physically challenged student, and a candidate injured during the protests. Key nominees include Arifullah Adib for Vice President, Majharul Islam for General Secretary, Firdaus Al Hasan for Assistant General Secretary (male), and Ayesha Siddika Meghla for Assistant General Secretary (female).
The competition is intense across the halls. Nazrul Islam Hall leads with 60 nominations, followed by Tazuddin Ahmed Hall with 49, Hall No. 21 with 38, Mir Mosharraf Hossain and Hall No. 10 with 30 each, and Nawab Faizunnesa Hall with six.
Security preparations are a major focus. The Election Commission has requested army deployment for the day before, the day of, and the day after the elections, alongside police, Border Guard Bangladesh, and intelligence support. Proctor Alam said measures include vacating halls of former students and coordinating with nearby institutions to strengthen overall campus security.
The decision to involve the army has drawn mixed reactions. Touhid Siam, Member Secretary of the Bangladesh Ganatantrik Chhatra Sangsad at JU, said: “While seeking army support highlights gaps in campus security, it is welcome if it ensures a fair election.”
After 33 years without polls, JUCSU elections are set to return as a vibrant platform for student leadership, with hundreds of students vying for central and hall-level positions, reflecting a renewed energy and enthusiasm for campus politics.