The long-anticipated Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (Ducsu) election concluded on Tuesday, with the entire nation watching closely as results are expected by midnight.
According to the returning officer, over 80% of registered voters cast their ballots. The Election Commission expressed hope that results would be finalized by midnight.
Officials added that any complaints would prompt a review of CCTV footage from polling centres, noting that sufficient cameras had been installed. They warned that no one would be allowed to get away with false allegations and that the administration would take action against anyone attempting to deliberately create unrest.
This marks the eighth Ducsu election since Bangladesh’s independence and comes six years after the highly controversial 2019 polls. A total of 39,775 students were registered to vote this year—20,873 male and 18,902 female—reflecting a near-equal gender balance.
Voting began at 8 am across eight centres with 810 booths and continued until 4pm. Each student cast votes for 41 positions: 28 central Ducsu posts and 13 hall union posts. This year, 471 candidates contested, including 62 women.
Amid the voting process, allegations of irregularities emerged. Vice president (VP) candidate Tahmina Akhter (ballot-10) from the Insaniyat Biplob Humanity Revolution Student Front withdrew from the race, calling for a boycott of what she described as a “fraudulent election.”
She alleged that ballots were pre-marked in favor of candidates backed by the Islamist student group Shibir and that voters were being influenced with candidate lists. Tahmina accused the vice-chancellor and election authorities of bias, demanding their resignation along with a judicial probe.
Similarly, VP candidate Md Abidul Islam Khan, supported by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party’s student wing (Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal), lodged complaints at the Election Commission office in the Senate Building, claiming that ballots had already been marked in favor of Shibir candidates.
On the other hand, some candidates praised the election environment. Abu Baker Mojumder, General Secretary (GS) candidate from the Anti-Discrimination Student Council panel, expressed optimism: “If no untoward incident occurs till the very end, Ducsu can become a role model for Bangladesh. We want Ducsu elections to be held annually. The atmosphere is joyous, and I am optimistic about victory.”
GS candidate Meghmallar Bosu urged students to turn out in large numbers to ensure fair results. VP candidate Shameem Hossain took to Facebook during voting, urging non-residential students to come to the polls, claiming “victory is near,” and appealing to all students to cast their votes regardless of political allegiance, stating: “Democratic processes must not be obstructed.”
Protirodh Parishad said they were under pressure but encouraged voters not to be discouraged, emphasizing that if turnout exceeded 70%, pro-democratic forces would prevail. “Don’t think that a single vote doesn’t matter. If people show up, the results will be good,” one activist said.
Allegations of irregularities, boycotts, and rival claims continue to cast a shadow over the credibility of the polls. Once announced, the results are expected to shape Dhaka University’s student political landscape for years to come.