JU Jatiyatabadi Shikkhok Forum terms Jucsu polls ‘farcical’

The Jahangirnagar University Jatiyatabadi Shikkhok Forum yesterday said they believe "propaganda against" Chhatra Dal the night before the election and irregularities on election day are linked.

"We strongly condemn this farcical election, which was organised to ensure the win of a particular political party. We also demand that the complaints are fairly settled and the elections are held in an acceptable manner," said the forum in a statement last night.

According to the statement, members and online activists of a certain political party deliberately spread misleading posts claiming ballot papers had been sent out the night before voting.

In reality, only ballot boxes and other election materials were dispatched that night under the supervision of returning officers. The ballot papers were sent to polling centres the following morning at around 8:30am, it said.

The forum alleged that such propaganda was aimed at cornering Chhatra Dal before the election.

It further accused election commission members with political leanings, along with some hall provosts, of facilitating widespread irregularities in the Jucsu and hall union polls.

Chhatra Dal boycotted the election, citing allegations of ballot stuffing and harassment of candidates, polling agents, and journalists in several halls including Jahanara Imam Hall, Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmad Hall, and Kazi Nazrul Islam Hall.

The forum claimed that the provost of Hall 15 directly campaigned for a particular panel, while observers saw ballot papers lying unattended in that hall.

In addition, no complete voter list with photographs was supplied, which created confusion in verifying voters.

Many students reportedly could not cast their votes in their respective halls due to discrepancies in the list.

The forum added that indelible ink, which is used worldwide to prevent multiple voting, was not properly applied in many centres.