Most of the student organisations boycotted the much-awaited Dhaka University Central Students' Union (DUCSU) elections over allegations of massive irregularities, and they also demanded fresh polls.
The leaders of different student organisations declared fresh agitation programmes, including strike, rally and demonstration, on the campus today (Tuesday), in protest against irregularities in the DUCSU and hall union elections that were held on Monday after long 28 years.
Students and the university sources said the polling began at 8:00 am and continued until 2:00 pm, with periodic halts at some centres on the allegation of rigging.
Long queues of students were seen at the polling centres located in different dormitories.
But general students and witnesses said various wrongdoings, such as rigging, thwarting voters and filling boxes with marked ballot papers, took place in the previous night.
Some students of Bangladesh-Kuwait Maitree Hall said voters were waiting in long queue one hour earlier ahead of the polling schedule.
A second-year student of the hall said candidates insisted the hall provost to open the ballot boxes to see whether they were empty, but they were denied, which was contrary to the electoral code of conduct.
Few minutes prior to the polling, the DU proctor and hall provost took the ballot boxes to the hall's reading room, where the students found marked ballot papers favouring the candidates of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL).
Contacted, DU pro-vice-chancellor Prof Dr Muhammad Samad said the polling in the centre was suspended upon the evidence of vote rigging.
Polling began in the centre three hours later than the scheduled time.
Students of another female dormitory, Rokeya Hall, alleged that the authority was taking votes in six ballot boxes instead of the said nine boxes, which ignited distrust among them.
On information, they broke the door of the room next to the polling centre, and found the remaining three boxes there.
"All of the three boxes were filled with ballot papers, though not marked," said Mabia Islam, a fourth-year student.
She also said it was a distrustful play from the university electioneering authority.
Polling at the centre began one hour late than that of the scheduled period, and remained suspended from 11.00 am.
Amid such irregularities and confusion the candidates from several platforms reached the polling centre.
At one point, female activists of BCL Rokeya Hall unit reportedly attacked Nurul Huq Nur, a vice president (VP) candidate as well as a quota-reform panel leader.
General students and candidates sporadically were seen protesting against the irregularities that took place in some polling centres.
Students were chanting slogans in front of Rokeya Hall to show their dissatisfaction over the DU administration's inactive role and failure to hold free and fair polls to DUCSU, which is termed 'mini parliament' of the country.
At one point, the agitated students chased DUCSU election's Chief Returning Officer Prof Dr S M Mahfuzur Rahman, when he reached Rokeya Hall after the polling was declared suspended.
"Students chased him from Rokeya Hall to Arts Faculty building. Later, his colleagues rescued him and took to the university's administration building," said a student.
Meanwhile, four panels boycotted the election at a press conference at Modhur Canteen one hour before the polling concluded.
Pragatishil Left Alliance-nominated VP candidate Litan Nandi, general secretary (GS) candidate Ummey Habiba Benojir, Quota Reformists' platform Bangladesh General Student Rights Protection Council-nominated GS candidate Rashed Khan, and Shotontro Jote-nominated VP candidate Aroni Semonty attended the conference, among others.
Litan Nandi said the candidates were denied of their demands, including using transparent ballot boxes, and setting up polling centres outside the halls.
This is a totally unfair election, he said, claiming that VP candidate Nurul Huda Nur, Aroni Semonty and he had been assaulted by the BCL men.
"We have boycotted the election and want reschedule for a fair election," he told the conference.
Jatiyabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) also boycotted the election at a separate press conference at the same venue.
The JCD VP candidate Mostafizur rahman said the DU administration did everything to make the ruling party student organisation successful.
Pro-BNP and Jamat teachers' organisation of DU also boycotted the election and demanded a reschedule of fair and fresh DUCSU election.
Panel leaders, candidates and general students took position in front of the Vice-Chancellor (VC) office, demanding cancellation of the DUCSU polls at the end of voting.
They also declared to continue the protest until their demands are fulfilled.
In response to the rejection by most of the student platforms, the BCL leaders, in a press conference at Modhur Canteen, ruled out the objections made by other organisations.
Golam Rabbani, the BCL GS candidate, said the opposition candidates looked for a safe exit from the polls, as they knew they would not get support from the general students.
Students voted for 25 posts in the university's central union and 13 posts in their respective hall union.
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