Published : 14 Oct 2025, 05:21 PM
Updated : 21 Aug 2026, 02:35 PM
The Chittagong University Central Students’ Union (CUCSU) and hall and hostel union elections are being held on Wednesday after a 35-year gap.
The polls will form a 26-strong central union for a one-year term, along with unions for 14 residential halls and a hostel.
Five student representatives nominated by CUCSU will also become members of the university’s highest policy-making body — the Senate.
CUCSU ELECTION
Number of post
Total Voters: 27,516
Total Posts: 26
Total Candidates: 415
Male Candidates: 368
Female Candidates: 47
Post name
Number of candidates
Vice-President (VP)
24
General Secretary (GS)
22
Joint General Secretary
21
Sports Secretary
12
Assistant Sports Secretary
14
Literary, Cultural and Publications Secretary
17
Assistant Literary, Cultural and Publications Secretary
15
Office Secretary
17
Assistant Office Secretary
14
Female Welfare Secretary
13
Assistant Female Welfare Secretary
10
Science and ICT Secretary
11
Research and Innovation Secretary
12
Social Welfare and Environment Secretary
20
Health Affairs Secretary
15
Liberation War and Democratic Movements Secretary
17
Career Development and International Affairs Secretary
16
Communication and Accommodation Secretary
17
Assistant Communication and Accommodation Secretary
14
Law and Human Rights Secretary:
9
Library and Cafeteria Secretary
20
Candidates Against 5 Member Posts
85
Under the Chittagong University Act, 1973, both CUCSU and hall elections are supposed to be held annually. However, since the university’s establishment in 1966, student union elections have been held only six times before this one.
Chittagong University currently has 14 residential halls -- nine for male students and five for female students -- in addition to the Artist Rashid Chowdhury Hostel. Each of the 15 halls will have one polling centre located across five buildings.
According to the constitution, only students admitted through entrance examinations in the first year and who are still enrolled can vote, bringing the total number of eligible voters to 27,516. Any registered voter can also contest in the CUCSU or hall elections.
The central union will consist of 26 elected members, while each hall union will have 14 members, including the hostel union.
The Election Commission, composed of 15 teachers and officials led by the chief election commissioner, is overseeing the polls.
Voting will take place using optical mark recognition (OMR) ballots, which will be machine-counted. Polls will open at 9am and continue until 4pm.
Each ballot paper will feature security codes to prevent forgery, along with candidate names and ballot numbers. Where candidates share the same name, nicknames will be used for distinction.
The results of the polls will be announced at the Faculty of Business Administration building.
After 35 years, 13 full or partial panels are contesting this election.
The Election Commission officially announced the schedule for the CUCSU election on Aug 28. Following the publication of the draft voter list on Sept 1 and subsequent verification, the final voter list was published on Sept 11.
The distribution of nomination papers began on Sept 14 month and concluded on Sept 17. After scrutiny, the preliminary list of candidates was published on Sept 21.
The final list of candidates was then published on Sept 25.
Although Oct 12 was initially fixed as the election date, it was later postponed to Oct 15 following demands from the students.
Speaking to bdnews24.com on Monday morning, AKM Ariful Haque Siddique, member secretary of the CUCSU Election Commission, said:
"The overall environment is good so far. The last-minute minor tasks that remain are currently under way."
"The major election-related work has already been completed. All necessary preparations, including ballot boxes and ballot papers, have also been finalised," he added.
