Desk Report,
Expelled, cancelled and deceased students in Jaksur’s final voter list
Abu Nur Mohammad was a residential student of the Vishwakabi Rabindranath Tagore Hall of Jahangirnagar University. He died on May 30 this year while undergoing treatment for a lung disease. This student’s name is in the final voter list of Jaksur. In addition, the voter list also includes names of students whose studentship was cancelled, expelled Chhatra League workers, students who had their admission cancelled and those who had gone abroad. The final voter list for the Jahangirnagar University Student Union (Jakusu) and Hall Parliament elections was published on the university’s website on Sunday night. There are a total of 11,919 voters in it. Of these, 6,102 are male voters and 5,817 are female voters. Analyzing these voter lists of the university’s 21 residential halls, it was found that the voter list also includes names of expelled Chhatra League students, deceased students, dropouts and students who had gone abroad without completing their studies. During the July Movement, leaders and activists of the branch Chhatra League attacked students protesting in the university. The administration has recently sentenced the accused in this incident to various terms. The final voter list of Jaksur includes the names of at least four students who were expelled for their involvement in the attack. Among them, the name of Chhatra League leader Md. Rizwan Rashed (Swan), who was permanently expelled from the university’s hall number 21 voter list. The name of permanently expelled student Md. Tamim Hossain is also included in the voter list of the same hall.
Expelled, cancelled and deceased students in Jaksur’s final voter list
In addition, the name of Chhatra League leader Adnan Saif, who was expelled for two years, is in the voter list of hall number 10 of the university. Md. Saiful Islam Bhuiyan, who was expelled for two years on the same charge, is in the voter list of Shaheed Rafiq-Jabbar Hall of the university.
The voter list also includes the names of many students and dropouts who have canceled their admission to the campus at various times after their admission to the university and moved to other universities or abroad. Among them, Raihan Sharif of Maulana Bhashani Hall of the university, Naimul Islam of Shaheed Salam-Barkat Hall and a few others have already gone abroad without completing their graduation. Apart from this, Sumaiya Zaman of Sufia Kamal Hall has gone abroad after completing her graduation, but her name is still on the voter list.
Students who did not continue their education after taking classes for a few days after admission to the university are also voters. Among them, Russell Ahmed of Maulana Bhashani Hall and Tushar Tripura of Hall No. 10 are notable.
Students’ anger
Students and leaders and activists of various student organizations have expressed anger over various inconsistencies in the voter list. They say that if the voter list is not correct, then there is also a fear that the voting will be conducted smoothly or not.
In this regard, Jahirul Islam, Joint Secretary of the Chhatra Dal branch, told Prothom Alo that one of the most important things to conduct elections smoothly is to prepare a correct voter list. The representative election will be held on the votes of the valid voters. If there are discrepancies in the voter list, then the fear of how fair the election will be remains. Because, there is no photo in the voter list. So, if someone else goes to vote with the identity cards of those whose names have appeared, how will the administration identify them?
In this regard, Tanjim Ahmed, general secretary of a section of the Student Union University Parliament, said, “We are already seeing various complaints in the voter list that has been published. Expelled students are also in this list. How are expelled students on the voter list? The administration has not been able to publish a complete and accurate voter list despite having so much time, it is shameful.”
Opportunity to correct the voter list
Regarding the discrepancies in the voter list, JACSU Election Member Secretary and University Proctor Professor A.K.M. Rashidul Alam told Prothom Alo that there is an opportunity to update the voter list until August 28. If any student is left out of the voter list, they will correct it if they inform the Election Commission through the appropriate process. In addition, if any of the excluded voters remain on the voter list or if there are any inconsistencies, that will also be updated.
