Nearly a year after the Jahangirnagar University Central Students’ Union (JUCSU) was revived through an election following a 33-year gap, many of the expectations raised by students remain unmet. The election had created hopes that the union would address longstanding problems involving dining, transport, healthcare, academic reforms, administrative automation, research and campus safety.
The Islami Chhatra Shibir-backed Samonnito Shikkharthi Jote won 20 of the 25 posts, excluding the vice-president position, in the September 11, 2025 election. Its nine-point manifesto included a 50% subsidy on hall dining, digital food coupons, improved transport, 24-hour healthcare and ambulance services, health insurance, teacher evaluations, research support, women’s safety and environmental initiatives. Vice-President Abdur Rashid Jitu separately pledged to introduce smart ID cards and free Wi-Fi, establish a student welfare fund and end partisan student politics.
However, major promises—including the dining subsidy, digital coupon system, round-the-clock healthcare, health insurance, teacher evaluations, answer-script re-evaluation and smart ID cards—remain unimplemented or at the planning stage. JUCSU leaders say many initiatives require university approval, funding and additional manpower.
General Secretary Mazharul Islam said JUCSU lacks an independent budget and executive authority. Manpower shortages, administrative complications and budget constraints have delayed several commitments. Students and rival organisations, however, argue that the elected body should also exert pressure on the administration rather than relying solely on institutional limitations.
The 50% hall dining subsidy, one of the most prominent election promises, has yet to be introduced in any residential hall. The digital coupon system has also stalled, partly because dining workers lack technological skills and are reluctant to use personal phones and QR-scanning systems.
Academic problems also persist. JUCSU says an academic calendar has been prepared and an initiative for course teacher evaluations has begun, while improvement examinations await Academic Council approval. Students, however, say they still have to visit multiple offices for routine academic procedures, while session delays, classroom shortages and limited automation remain unresolved.
Healthcare remains a major concern. The Medical Centre serves nearly 20,000 students and associated members with only nine doctors and limited technical and support staff. It lacks a computer operator and dedicated personnel to operate its ECG machine. Specialist doctors and a proper emergency ambulance service are also unavailable. A July audit additionally found discrepancies involving around 19,567 units of medicines valued at approximately Tk 73,101.
Women’s safety remains one of the major concerns, harrasement and cyber bullying spreading largely, students question their effectiveness and awareness of complaint procedures. Transport shortages, waste management problems and several facilities for students with special needs also remain unresolved.
JUCSU points to cultural programs, skills workshops, road and footpath initiatives as evidence of progress. Yet most of the students say these achievements fall short of the promises made before the election.
Questions have also emerged over JUCSU’s political neutrality and representativeness. Some students allege that political interests have overshadowed welfare issues, while JUCSU leaders maintain that political identities do not prevent them from serving students.
Vice-President Jitu acknowledged that the union had not achieved the level of visible progress students expected. Mazharul, meanwhile, reiterated that institutional limitations remain the main obstacle.
