The Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) has announced a boycott of the Jahangirnagar University Central Students’ Union (JUCSU) election, citing widespread irregularities and vote rigging.
At an emergency press conference held around 3:30 PM on Thursday in front of Moulana Bhasani Hall, the JCD-backed panel declared their withdrawal from the polls, accusing the university administration of siding with a rival student group and undermining democratic rights.
“We wanted a free, fair, and acceptable election, but irregularities during the voting process have deeply frustrated us. The administration, in fascist fashion, has robbed us of our democratic rights,” the JCD panel stated in a written declaration.
Allegations of Irregularities
The JCD panel highlighted several incidents of misconduct and malpractice during the polls, including:
- Denial of timely entry for polling agents into voting centers.
- Restriction on candidates inspecting polling stations.
- Distribution of campaign leaflets by a Shibir-backed panel during voting hours, violating election rules.
- Alleged ballot stuffing at Begum Fazilatunnesa Mujib Hall and harassment of their VP candidate.
- Power outages in some centers, which they claim enabled large-scale vote rigging.
- Inadequate number of booths compared to voter turnout, causing long delays.
- Absence of indelible ink in most centers, allowing multiple votes by individuals.
- Lack of candidate photos on the voter list, enabling proxy voting.
- Inconsistencies in the ballot for the Kazi Nazrul Islam Hall Union, where only one candidate’s name appeared for three executive posts.
Following the press conference, the JCD’s VP candidate and other panel members withdrew from the campus in protest.
