The Chittagong University (CU) administration has decided not to allow banners and festoons on campus during the Chittagong University Central Students’ Union (Cucsu) and hall union elections in response to demands from students.
Chief Election Commissioner of Cucsu Prof Dr Monir Uddin also assured students that transparent ballot boxes will be used in the polls.
The announcement was made at a views-exchange meeting on election rules and overall issues held at the Social Science Faculty auditorium on Monday afternoon. Members of the election commission responded to various questions from students and candidates at the meeting.
Those present included Cucsu Chief Election Commissioner Prof Dr Monir Uddin, Member-Secretary Prof Dr AKM Ariful Haque Siddiqui, Commissioners Dr Amir Muhammad Nasrullah and Dr Md Anwar Hossain, along with other election commissioners.
During the meeting, students raised demands and questions regarding amendments to the election code of conduct and other election-related matters. They requested additional buses or extended shuttle train schedules for city-based students on election day. Some candidates and students also demanded that the election date be postponed by two days, considering departmental exams and other academic inconveniences.
Students further demanded free transportation on election day, suspension of exams for four days before and after the polls (a total of eight days), and establishment of a polling centre for city students at the CU Institute of Fine Arts in the city.
They also called for the use of indelible ink in the election and for LED screens to run on backup power in case of outages. One candidate questioned the commission about Facebook accounts and pages created centring the election, to which the administration assured appropriate action would be taken.
Responding to the demands and questions, the chief election commissioner said: “Transparent ballot boxes will be used in the election. However, to ensure that votes cannot be seen, the transparent boxes will be slightly blurred.”
He added: “The number of booths will be determined on the basis of 10 minutes per voter, and the voter list will include candidates’ photographs.”