Staff Reporter :
Jahangirnagar University’s long-awaited Central Students’ Union (JUCSU) election has plunged into controversy as results remained unpublished more than 24 hours after voting ended, fueling protests, allegations of conspiracy, and mounting frustration among students.
Polling took place across the campus from Thursday morning, with most halls closing at 5 pm, though voting stretched into the evening at several venues due to high turnout. Ballot counting began in the hall unions late at night, but by Friday evening, tallying was still incomplete, and the central JUCSU vote count had not yet begun.
The Election Commission offered no clear timeline for results, leaving students increasingly restless.
By late Friday afternoon, hundreds of students gathered outside the university senate building, chanting slogans and demanding immediate announcement of results.
Independent candidate Abdur Rashid Jitu, running for vice president under the “Independent Students’ Coalition,” accused a faction of teachers of deliberately obstructing the process.
“One day has passed, yet we are still waiting for results. Any attempt to stall JUCSU will be met with dire consequences,” he warned, while urging the commission to expedite the count.
Tensions escalated further as leaders from rival panels confronted the administration. Islami Chhatra Shibir’s general secretary candidate, Mazharul Islam, alleged that a vested group was seeking to derail the polls.
“It is shameful that even after 24 hours only hall votes are being counted. If this continues, JUCSU results could take days. We will not leave until our mandate is respected,” he told reporters.
The situation grew chaotic when several candidates issued an ultimatum to the Election Commission, demanding that JUCSU and hall results be declared by midnight. Otherwise, they threatened to take “drastic action.” A delegation of candidates, including Jitu and Mazharul, met with the commission to press their demands.
Meanwhile, university Vice Chancellor Professor Kamrul Ahsan entered the commission office for an emergency meeting, as candidates and their supporters continued their sit-in outside.
The Election Commission defended its handling of the process, citing logistical delays. Polling officers acknowledged the smooth conduct of voting but admitted the drawn-out counting had fueled suspicion.
One presiding officer lamented: “If the process drags on, it naturally creates doubt. Teachers are exhausted and frustrated at the lack of preparation.”
Debate has also erupted over the use of Optical Mark Recognition (OMR) machines for tallying. Some candidates accused the administration of rejecting OMR counting under partisan pressure, while teachers aligned with the pro-BNP forum dismissed Shibir’s claims as baseless, instead alleging a “hidden conspiracy” behind the push for OMR.
A returning officer from Nawab Faizunnesa Hall, Professor Sultana Akhter, said teachers had been subjected to “inhumane working conditions” by manual counting. “We have already lost a colleague due to exhaustion. It could take three more days to finish at this pace. We demand OMR counting immediately,” she declared.
As the dispute deepened, pro-Shibir candidate Arif Ullah took to Facebook, claiming the administration was determined to sabotage JUCSU. “Students must not move from the senate building without results in hand,” he wrote, calling for a mass sit-in.
By Friday evening, counting reportedly resumed manually after a temporary halt, but confusion and mistrust persisted across the campus. Students accused the commission of deliberate delay tactics, while rival factions of teachers traded accusations of manipulation.
With JUCSU results still uncertain and emotions running high, Jahangirnagar University now finds itself gripped by tension and mistrust, casting a shadow over what had been billed as a landmark return of student democracy after decades.
Meanwhile, Professor Sultana Akter has demanded justice over the death of lecturer Jannatul Ferdous, stating that it was the result of gross mismanagement by the JUCSU Election Commission.
Professor Sultana, of the Department of History, served as the Returning Officer for the Nawab Faizunnesa Hall centre in the Jahangirnagar University Central Students’ Union (JUCSU) elections.
She made this demand at an emergency press conference held in front of the university’s Old Arts Building at around 4:30 pm on Friday.
Â
