The Election Commission for Jahangirnagar University Central Students’ Union (Jucsu) polls yesterday declared its election schedule amid the ongoing impasse on the campus.
Chief Election Commissioner Prof AKM Shahnewaz declared January 2 as the new date for polls. The polls will take place at the Teachers and Students Centre at 11:30am.
The aspiring candidates will vie for 16 posts, including those of president and general secretary.
In the meantime, agitating teachers of the university said they would not carry out further demonstrations, following the JU Chancellor’s directives.
Earlier, VC Prof Anwar Hossain declared that Jucsu polls would be held on December 5.
Nomination papers will be distributed from November 19 and submitted by November 26.
The Election Commission will publish the preliminary list of candidates on December 5 while the final list will be published on December 15.
The deadline for withdrawal of nomination papers is December 8.
According to Election Commission, any candidate can withdraw their names from the balot three days prior to the election as per section 8/h of the JU Act.
However, JU unit Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal protested against the Jucsu polls as they were allegedly left out by the university authorities.
A press release signed by Chhatra Dal president Zakirul Hossain and general secretary Abu Sayeed Bhuiya said JU authorities formed the election commission for polls with a group of like-minded individuals.
JU must ensure a student-friendly environment before the election takes place or else the Jucsu polls will be resisted, said the press release.
Chhatra Dal secretary Abu Sayeed Bhuiya told the Dhaka Tribune that a Jucsu election without their participation would not be acceptable.
According to JU Proctor Prof Md Muzibur Rahman, “only legal students can participate in the polls and cast their votes while most Chhatra Dal leaders have lost their studentship.”
Protesting the JU proctor’s comments, Chhatra Dal president Zakirul Hossain alleged that Chhatra League president Mahmudur Rahman Jony, Chhatra Front convener Moytree Barman and former Chhatra Union president Joydeep were also not students but the authorities were allowing them to participate in the Jucsu polls.
“We are students, but fail to go to our classes and take exams because of security issues on the campus,” said the Chhatra Dal president.
JU agitating teachers said they would not launch any new movement violating the directives of the university Chancellor President Abdul Hamid.
One protesting teacher, Prof Amir Hossain, the dean of the Social Science Faculty, told the Dhaka Tribune: “We have obeyed the President’s order and we think the President will take action against whoever violates his directive.”
On November 6, JU Chancellor President Abdul Hamid asked the vice-chancellor to arrange senate elections and select the VC panel with the help of senate members immediately to eliminate the ongoing standoff on the campus. The anti-vice-chancellor teachers’ panel and VC Prof Anwar Hossain himself are giving their respective version of the chancellor’s directives.
The vice-chancellor claims that JU chancellor asked him to select a VC panel after reforming the university senate, while the teachers say Prof Anwar was asked to hold only the VC panel election with the help of the incumbent senate members.
Several attempts were made to reach VC Prof Anwar Hussain by phone for comment on the chancellor’s directives, but to no avail.
A section of the Chhatra League university unit, loyal to its president Mahmudur Rahman Jony, yesterday formed a human chain on the campus demanding Jucsu polls be held immediately. Over 200 Chhatra League activists and general students attended the human chain at 11am in front of the registrar office, under the banner of “Shikkharthibrindo.”
The activities of Jucsu at the university have remained closed for more than 20 years . The last poll was held in 1992.
