Desk Report,
JAKSU election questioned over irregularities and mismanagement: VP candidate Arifuzzaman
The Jahangirnagar University Student Union (JUJSU) election is questionable due to irregularities, mismanagement and biased behavior of the administration. However, in the interest of bringing balance of power between teachers and students, we believe that even if the election is bad, it is better to have JUJSU than not to have JUJSU.
JAKSU election questioned over irregularities and mismanagement: VP candidate Arifuzzaman
Arifuzzaman Ujjal, the vice-president (VP) candidate of the Student Unity Forum, a panel supported by the Bangladesh Democratic Student Union (BAGCHAS), made these remarks at an emergency press conference in front of the old administrative building of the university at 1:30 am today, Friday. At the press conference, Arifuzzaman said, “We had hoped that the Jahangirnagar University administration would organize a fair, impartial and acceptable election by ensuring a level playing field (equal opportunities) for everyone. But various inconsistencies have been observed since the beginning of the preparatory activities in organizing the election. The Election Commission extended the deadline for filing nominations late at night to give an advantage to a particular party.’
The VP candidate said that the unprecedented incident of a panel’s cancellation of the candidacy of a VP candidate several days after the publication of the final list of voters and candidates and the subsequent legal process created uncertainty about the election. Along with this, various misleading statements about the printing of ballot papers raised questions about the role of the administration.
Arifuzzaman alleged that although the rules for dope testing have been set, it has not yet been announced whether all candidates have undergone dope tests. He said that even though the election day has passed, the results of the dope test have not yet been received. If the dope test result of a winning candidate comes out positive, the Election Commission has not given any specific way to resolve the complications that will arise.
The VP candidate said that the presence of former Chhatra Dal leaders in the Election Commission office on the night before the election, in violation of the election code of conduct, has raised doubts about a fair election.
Arifuzzaman further said, “Despite our repeated requests to provide polling agents at polling stations, the Election Commission did not make any specific decision on this matter until the day before the election. The Election Commission decided to provide polling agents to candidates at polling stations at 3 am on the election day. Arranging polling agents at such a short notice was a difficult task for all candidates. As a result, we believe that a certain party has gained additional benefits.”
Although campaigning is prohibited on polling day according to the election code of conduct, the VP candidate also alleged that Chhatra Shibir and Chhatra Dal-backed candidates were seen distributing leaflets and campaigning right outside most polling stations. Arifuzzaman also claimed that voters entered the polling stations without confirming their identities at various polling stations.
Arifuzzaman said that in most of the polling stations, no indelible ink was given to them after voting. In the ones that were given, the ink was easily removed. In most cases, there was no photograph of the voter next to their name in the voter list. Although there was supposed to be a place for three people to vote on the ballot paper of Kazi Nazrul Islam Hall, there was a place for one person to vote. As a result, the ballot paper had to be written and voted.
This VP candidate alleged that the voter attendance list was ticked with a pencil instead of a pen. As a result, one person had the opportunity to vote more than once. It is not possible to be sure whether anyone took this opportunity or not. Meanwhile, there have been complaints that someone else has already cast the vote of a voter in Shaheed Salam-Barkat Hall.
Arifuzzaman Ujjal said that the president of the former student and branch Chhatra Shibir of the university entered the National Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam Hall in violation of the election code of conduct. In each polling station, their workers stood next to the voters’ line and distributed tokens and leaflets of the Chhatra Shibir-supported panel.
This VP candidate alleged that the administration lacked goodwill and preparation for organizing a fair election overall. He said, “It seems that the university administration was forced to organize the election despite its reluctance.” One party has taken advantage of their lack of preparation. We have seen attempts to influence the election through muscle power on the part of another party.’
However, despite overcoming such adversity, the students’ voting in the election is an expression of their interest in participating in the democratic process, said the VP candidate of the Bagchhas-backed panel Student Unity Forum.
