After DUCSU triumph, Shibir flexes dominance in JUCSU polls

Independent Student Alliance panel disrupts Shibir’s full-slate ambition

After their stunning win in the Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (DUCSU) polls, Islami Chhatra Shibir has repeated the trick at Jahangirnagar University’s Central Students’ Union (JUCSU), clinching a majority of the key posts in the student body, including general secretary.

But a clean sweep of all top posts by Shibir was halted by independent candidate Abdur Rasid Zitu, who won the race for vice-president (VP), while Shibir’s Mazharul Islam emerged as general secretary (GS).

Chief Election Commissioner Prof Md Maniruzzaman announced the results from the university’s Senate Hall on Saturday after a marathon vote-counting process that stretched more than 45 hours.

Zitu, a student of the Institute of Comparative Literature and Culture, is a former central coordinator of the Students Against Discrimination movement and convenor of the Gono Obbhutthan Rokkha Andolon. He contested the election from the Independent Student Alliance panel.

Meanwhile, Mazharul is a Master’s student in the Department of English. He ran as a candidate from the panel backed by Islami Chhatra Shibir, the student wing of Jamaat-e-Islami.

The declared tallies showed Zitu receiving 3,334 votes. His closest rival, Islami Chhatra Shibir’s Arif Ullah Adib, secured 2,389 votes.

Mazharul won the GS post with 3,930 votes, defeating Bangladesh Ganatantrik Chhatra Sangshad (BGCS) candidate Abu Tauhid Mohammad Siam, who received 1,238 votes.

Both assistant general secretary (AGS) positions also went to candidates, Ferdous Al Hasan and Ayesha Siddiqua Meghla, who won with 2,358 and 3,402 votes respectively.

Of the 25 secretary posts, the majority were won by candidates from the Shibir-backed panel.

Out of 19 editorial positions, the Samonnito Shikkharthi Jote backed by Shibir secured 15 seats.

Of the remaining four, independents won three, including the VP post, while one was claimed by a BGCS candidate.

All six executive member positions were won by Shibir-backed candidates.

OTHER VICTORS

• Education and research secretary –- Abu Ubaida Usama (Shibir) | 2,428 votes

• Environment and nature conservation secretary –- Md Safayet Mir (Shibir) | 2,811 votes

• Literature and publication secretary -– Md Zahidul Islam (Shibir) | 1,907 votes

• Cultural secretary -– Mohibullah Sheikh Jisan (Independent) | 2,018 votes

• Assistant cultural secretary -– Md Raihan Uddin (Shibir) | 1,986 votes

• Drama secretary -– Md Ruhul Islam (Shibir) | 1,929 votes

• Sports secretary -– Mahmudul Hasan Kiron (Independent) | 5,778 votes

• Assistant sports secretary (female) -– Farhana Akter Lubna (Shibir) | 1,986 votes

• Assistant sports secretary (male) –- Md Mahadi Hasan (Shibir) | 2,105 votes

• Information technology and library secretary -– Md Rashedul Islam Likhon (Shibir) | 2,436 votes

• Social service and human resource development secretary -– Ahsan Labib (BGCS) | 1,690 votes

• Assistant social service and human resource development secretary (female) -– Nigar Sultana (Shibir) | 2,442 votes

• Assistant social service and human resource development secretary (male) -– Md Touhid Hasan (Shibir) | 2,442 votes

• Health and food security secretary -– Husni Mubarak (Shibir) | 2,653 votes

• Transport and communication secretary -– Md Tanvir Rahman (Shibir) | 2,559 votes

EXECUTIVE MEMBERS

• Md Tarikul Islam (Male, Shibir) | 1,746 votes

• Md Abu Talha (Male, Shibir) | 1,854 votes

• Md Mohsin (Male, Shibir) | 2,414 votes

• Nabila Binte Harun (Female, Shibir) | 2,750 votes

• Fabliha Jahan (Female, Shibir) | 2,475 votes

• Nusrat Jahan Ema (Female, Shibir) | 3,014 votes

SHIBIR BREAKTHROUGH

With this result, Jamaat-e-Islami's student front Shibir, which had never before secured a post in JUCSU, has now taken control of another student union after their sweeping victory in the Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (DUCSU) election.

The JUCSU polls at the Savar campus, just outside Dhaka, drew nationwide attention, taking place only two days after the DUCSU election.

TURNOUT AND DELAYS

Out of nearly 12,000 students on the campus, the Election Commission reported that about 68 percent cast their votes on Thursday. Counting began at 10pm the same night, with results only being announced after a lengthy delay.

The election will be remembered not only for allegations of irregularities and boycotts by most panels, but also for the death of a faculty member engaged in election duties during the prolonged vote count.

The main disruption came when the Election Commission abandoned machine counting and decided to tally votes manually amid allegations of irregularities. The change followed claims that ballot papers and OMR machines had been purchased from a company linked to Jamaat, leading to chaos and delays.

The 2025 JUCSU election marks the tenth edition of the student polls since their inception in 1972, and the first to be held in over five decades.

Student enthusiasm was high from the outset, with several student organisations actively demanding the long-awaited vote.

Following the fall of the Awami League government on Aug 5 2024, the political shift ushered in new momentum on campus.

After several delays, the Jahangirnagar University authorities finally set Sept 11 as the date for the JUCSU polls.

Among the contenders were panels backed by Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal, Chhatra Shibir, Bangladesh Ganatantrik Chhatra Sangshad (BGCS), left-progressive groups, along with seven independent panels.

In addition, many candidates ran as individual independents outside these panels.

The first JUCSU election took place in 1972, shortly after the country’s independence.

That year, independent candidate Golam Morshed was elected VP, while Rokon Uddin of Bangladesh Chhatra League’s student wing was elected GS.

Eight more elections were held over the years. In each of them, the VP and GS posts were won by candidates affiliated with political student groups.

This year’s outcome brought back the memory of 53 years ago, marking the first time since the inaugural vote that an independent candidate has been elected VP.

A total of 178 candidates contested for 25 central union posts this year.

At the hall level, 447 candidates ran for 15 positions in each of the 21 hall unions.

Female participation remained low, with only around 25 percent of candidates being women, according to official figures.

The last, ninth JUCSU election was held on Jul 6, 1992. That year, Masud Hasan Talukder of Chhatra Dal won the VP post, while Shamsul Tabreez, also from Chhatra Dal, became GS.

The BNP’s student wing has not managed to repeat that success since.

This year, Zitu of the Institute of Comparative Literature and Culture heads to JUCSU as the successor to Masud.

LOOKING BACK: FORMER VPs, GSs

The 10th election for the JUCSU has ushered in new leadership. The last time a panel backed by the Chhatra Dal won was in 1992. Below is a record of previous VPs and GSs elected at JUCSU:

Year	Vice President (VP)	General Secretary (GS)
1972	Golam Morshed	Rokon Uddin
1973	Rafique Ullah	Mozammel Haque
1974	MA Jalil	Dolower Hossain
1980	Azad Rahman	Ataur Rahman
1981	Motahar Hossain	Samsuddin Masud
1989	AKM Enamul Haque Shamim	Azizul Hasan Chowdhury
1990	Ashraf Uddin Khan	Md Azgar Hossain
1991	Md Moniruzzaman Monir	KM Rashedul Hasan
1992	Masud Hasan Talukdar	Shamsul Tabreez

ELECTION DAY CONTROVERSY

Polling officially began at 9am on Thursday, but voter turnout remained slow at first. As the day progressed, more students arrived, coinciding with a heavy downpour. While resident students were largely unaffected, non-resident students faced considerable challenges reaching the halls.

By the afternoon, lines at several halls, including Kazi Nazrul Islam Hall and Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmad Hall, stretched long into the evening. Voting did not conclude until 7:30pm, delayed by the sheer number of students waiting to cast ballots.

At Kazi Nazrul Islam Hall, morning voting revealed an error on the ballot papers for the central council election. Although three candidates were to be selected for executive member positions, instructions initially allowed voters to mark only one. The ballots were later corrected. Some voters also reported receiving ink that would not mark properly, creating further disruption.

Ballot complications caused voting to be temporarily suspended for over an hour at Fazilatunnesa Hall and half an hour at Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmad Hall. Female polling centres also barred journalists from entry, including women reporters, raising concerns over transparency.

From the start of polling, candidates raised concerns about various irregularities, including:

● Distribution of more ballots than voters

● Opponent panels violating codes of conduct

● Procurement of ballot papers and OMR machines from companies linked to Jamaat

● Blocking entry for authorised polling agents

● Delays in receiving mandatory dope-test results

● Various allegations of election manipulation

No direct accusation of vote rigging surfaced during the early hours of voting.

Around 3:30pm, approximately ninety minutes before polling concluded, Tanzila Hossain Boishakhi, GS candidate of the Chhatra Dal-backed panel, announced her withdrawal from the election, joined by her VP candidate, Sheikh Sadi Hasan.

Other panels that subsequently boycotted included:

Panel Name	Affiliation	Method of Announcement	Representative
Sampritir Oikya	Faction of Chhatra Union	Murad Chattar, campus	Shoron Ehsan (GS candidate)
Shongshoptok Parshad	Progressive student group	Press release	Not specified
Swotontro Ongikar Parishad	Progressive student group	Press release	Not specified
Partial Socialist Student Front	Progressive student group	Press release	Not specified
Several independents	None	Public declaration	Various candidates

In addition, three university professors -- Nazrul Islam, Nahreen Islam, and Shamima Sultana -- stepped down from overseeing the election, citing irregularities.

TEST OF PATIENCE

Amid demands from Chhatra Dal to cancel the election over the procurement of ballots and machines from Jamaat-linked companies, the election commission decided to abandon machine counting in favour of manual vote tallying. Ballot boxes from all 21 halls were moved to the Senate Bhaban on Thursday afternoon.

Counting did not commence until 10pm, with hall council votes to be tallied first, followed by central council votes. Overnight, the counting progressed slowly, and by morning, only 10 of the 21 halls had been counted.

Tragedy struck in the early hours when Jannatul Ferdous, an assistant professor at the Faculty of Fine Arts, collapsed and died while performing polling officer duties at Pritilata Hall.

He had been summoned early Friday morning to accelerate the counting process. Despite his dedication, he fell ill upon entering the Senate Bhaban and was pronounced dead at the hospital. His passing cast a sombre shadow over the vote-counting process.

A funeral was held in the central field of the university in the afternoon, with faculty and students paying their respects through flowers and tears.

Zitu, VP candidate of the Independent Student Union panel, expressed regret: “Had counting been done via machines, there would have been no questions about election transparency. Perhaps even our teacher might not have had to suffer.”

Prof Sultana Akter, returning officer at Nawab Faizunnesa Hall, criticised administrative lapses: “My colleague’s death is a direct consequence of the Election Commission’s mismanagement.

“We demand justice and compensation from the university administration. The responsibility lies with them. He worked tirelessly under immense pressure; the system failed him.”

Voting was temporarily suspended from 1pm to 4pm for Friday prayers, the funeral, and lunch breaks. Counting resumed in the afternoon. By 4:20pm, Vice-Chancellor Mohammad Kamrul Ahsan met with polling officers and returning officers in the Senate Bhaban to discuss the process.

Rumours then circulated that counting had been temporarily suspended, prompting protests from the Shibir-backed Samonnito Shikkharthi Jote panel.

They issued deadlines for releasing results, claiming deliberate attempts to disrupt the election. The unrest spread to Dhaka in the evening, with protests against election mismanagement and delays.

By 8pm, university authorities confirmed hall vote counting had concluded, and central council counting commenced. The commission advised students and stakeholders to remain calm.

The death of Assistant Prof Jannatul, combined with Friday prayers and lunch breaks, was cited as reasons for delays in announcing results.

At 9pm, Prof Mohammad Mafruhi Sattar, a member of the Election Commission and head of the BNP-aligned Nationalist Teachers Forum at the university, withdrew from the election process citing mismanagement.

The Samonnito Shikkharthi Jote panel held a press conference around 9:45pm, condemning the sudden exit of the commissioner as a sign of betrayal and a failure to uphold the election process.

Ferdous, AGS candidate, said: “This last-minute exit is a form of deceit. The conspiracy surrounding this election could not be implemented, and that is why the commissioner resigned.”

Meanwhile, the Nationalist Teachers Forum issued a statement calling the JUCSU election a “farce” and demanded a re-election.

Polling officers reported extreme fatigue during manual counting, with no meals provided overnight.

One officer said, “We were suffocating inside, and my husband had to buy food for me.”

A police officer confirmed similar conditions to bdnews24.com, emphasising that authorities had not provided sustenance or guidance.

Chief Election Commissioner Moniruzzaman told journalists, “We hope to complete counting and announce results tonight,” yet counting continued into Saturday morning.

By 11am, commission member Prof Lutful Elahi said counting in 15 out of 21 halls was complete, with results expected by 1–2pm, Moniruzzaman said that 85 percent of ballots had been tallied by noon, and they anticipated announcing results by 7pm.

Ultimately, university Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Administration) Prof Sohel Ahmed confirmed completion of counting at 2:30pm.

[Reporting by Arifur Rahman, Mahidul Islam Mahi, Selim Ahmed, Prashanta Mitra, Masum Kamal, Sabikunnahar Lipi, Mubdiur Rahman Mumu. Writing in English by Turaj Ahmad, Sheikh Fariha Bristy, Syed Mahmud Onindo]