Two Chhatra Dal leaders have been accused of seizing a journalist’s mobile phone and deleting a video after being filmed on campus in violation of election rules at Jahangirnagar University.
The incident took place on Wednesday at around 9:30pm at the Election Commission office in the Senate Building.
The incident occurred while the two leaders were walking alongside election officials transporting ballot boxes for the Jahangirnagar University Central Students’ Union (Jucsu) elections. The journalist recorded the scene on his phone.
The accused leaders are Jahangirnagar University Chhatra Dal Convener Zahir Uddin Muhammad Babar and Joint Convener Mashiur Rahman Rozen.
Babar is a student of the 39th batch (2009–10) in the Chemistry Department, and Rozen is from the 40th batch (2010–11) in the Economics Department. Both are former students, and under the university administration’s notice, they were not permitted on campus during the elections.
The journalist involved, Osman Sardar Sainik, is JU correspondent for the daily Jaijaidin.
According to witnesses and the victim, Osman went to the Election Commission office at night to collect information. He noticed election officials leaving the office with ballot boxes, accompanied by the two Chhatra Dal leaders and several others.
He began recording the scene on his mobile phone. Upon noticing this, Mashiur Rahman Rozen reportedly took the phone and deleted the video. Later, when Osman identified himself as a journalist, Rozen prohibited him from recording further videos.
Osman Sardar said: “I was recording the ballot boxes being carried, and behind them were Babar and Rozen. Later, Rozen took my phone and deleted the video. I am very concerned about this. What could happen tomorrow (Thursday)?”
When contacted, JU Chhatra Dal Convener Zahir Uddin Muhammad Babar denied the incident, saying: “Nothing like that happened. I was there myself. No video was deleted. I do not even know what video is being talked about. We will investigate the matter.”
Professor Mohammad Mafruhi Sattar, a member of the Jucsu Election Commission, said any written complaint received regarding the incident would be investigated and appropriate action taken.
For context, on Tuesday, acting Registrar Dr ABM Azizur Rahman issued a notice restricting the presence of former students, guests, or any outsiders in residential halls or on campus from 12pm on Wednesday until Friday.
