The Rajshahi University (RU) branch of the student political organization-backed panel, Ektyoboddho Notun Projonmo, has called for the Central Student Union (Rucsu) election to be held after Durga Puja.
The announcement was made on Monday at the university’s transport quadrangle by Sheikh Nur Uddin Abir, the panel’s vice-presidential candidate.
Abir said that the festive atmosphere and high voter engagement seen in the run-up to the election 48 hours ago have now diminished, with many students returning home. He urged the election commission to hold the election in a vibrant and participatory environment after the Puja holidays, emphasizing that this is the panel’s stance.
Meanwhile, independent candidates have requested that the election be held on Thursday to restore normalcy on campus. During a press conference at the transport market quadrangle around 12:30pm, representatives of four panels and independent candidates outlined their demands.
The panels included Sarbojonin Shikkharthi Songshad, Chhatro Odhikar Parishad, Rucsu for Radical Change of Chhatro Federation, Shocheton Shikkharthi Songshad of Islami Andolan Bangladesh and United for Rights.
They presented a five-point demand, calling for the Rucsu election to be held without obstruction and stressing that the election should not be compromised by campus shutdowns or class suspensions.
They urged the university administration to resolve the ward quota issue promptly to restore campus stability and ensure a level playing field for all participants. They emphasized that the election must not become unilateral or one-sided.
Tasin Khan, vice-presidential candidate of Sarbojonin Shikkharthi Songshad, noted in his written statement that although campaigns were progressing festively ahead of Thursday's election, the controversy over the ward quota has created an unstable environment, pitting students, faculty, and staff against one another.
He stressed that while the election must proceed, it will be invalid without active student participation.
Tasin further said that the ongoing complete campus shutdown, combined with the Puja holidays, has hindered campaigning for all panels and independents, potentially jeopardizing the first Rucsu election in 35 years.
He emphasized the need for a peaceful and celebratory election environment and condemned attempts to obstruct it. Nearly 50 candidates from various panels and independents attended the press briefing.
Separately, the RU election commission is scheduled to hold a meeting at 4pm on Monday to assess the situation.
Chief Election Commissioner Professor F Nazrul Islam said that the election is currently scheduled for Thursday.
However, recent campus unrest since Saturday has prompted the commission to monitor the situation closely.
The commission aims to ensure a free, fair, and participatory election and will discuss these matters in detail during the meeting.
A total of 28,905 students are registered voters in the Rucsu election. In total, 903 candidates are contesting positions in the Rucsu, Senate student representative and Hall Council elections.
On the election day, each voter will cast 43 votes across these three categories.
According to the schedule, the election will be held on Thursday, with results announced the same day after vote counting.