Allegations of ballot tampering and election engineering have marred the ongoing Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (Ducsu) elections, with multiple candidates raising concerns over irregularities at polling centers.
At around 12:30pm, Abidul Islam Khan, vice-president candidate from the Chhatra Dal-backed panel, alleged that a ballot handed to a student at Rokeya Hall had already been marked in favor of Islami Chhatra Shibir-backed candidates Sadiq Kayem and SM Farhad.
“We received a serious complaint from Rokeya Hall,” Abidul told reporters.
“I entered the hall with permission from the returning officer and verified the incident myself. The student found the ballot already crossed next to Sadiq and Farhad’s names.”
Calling the incident “a bad sign in the context of the new Bangladesh,” Abidul said he spoke to polling officials at the center, who reportedly expressed confusion over how the pre-marked ballot was issued.
Assistant Proctor AKM Nur Alam Siddiki confirmed that the university authorities had received similar allegations against the Sadiq-Farhad panel.
He said that the student who reported receiving a marked ballot was later issued a fresh one.
Independent candidate Rupaiya Shrestha Tanchanga, contesting for the career affairs post, also alleged that ballots at Rokeya Hall were pre-marked in favor of the same panel.
Meanwhile, Abul Baker Majumder of the Bangladesh Democratic Students’ Union-Baghsas claimed that ballot boxes at Amar Ekushey Hall were already filled before voting began.
Meghmallar Basu, general secretary candidate from the Prevention Council, expressed dissatisfaction with the overall voting environment.
“We’ve received serious allegations of vote rigging,” he said. “Our panel will meet soon to decide on the next course of action.”
In response, GS candidate SM Farhad of the United Students Alliance, backed by Islami Chhatra Shibir, dismissed the allegations as political theatre.
“BNP-supporting teachers and staff are staging a drama, and the administration is playing a silent role,” he said at a press conference.
Farhad further alleged that journalists were barred from entering the University Laboratory School and College center in the morning and claimed that Chhatra Dal polling agents were dominating the venue.
He accused an official of distributing pre-filled ballots at Ekushey Hall and demanded the immediate arrest and expulsion of those involved.
“This is a betrayal,” Farhad said.
“After the mass uprising of 2024, students had hoped for a fair Ducsu election. What we’re seeing now is a staged drama.”
Voting in the Ducsu and hall union elections began at 8am and will continue until 4pm.
This marks the first student union election at Dhaka University in nearly six years, with 39,775 registered voters choosing from 471 candidates contesting 28 central posts.
