Protests have broken out on the Dhaka University campus after all student bodies, except for the pro-Awami League Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL), boycotted the student union polls alleging widespread rigging and irregularities.
Supporters of leftist coalition, quota reformists’ panel, pro-BNP Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD), leftist Bangladesh Chhatra Federation, as well as the panel of independent candidates have taken to the streets.
Soon after announcing to boycott the elections to the Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (DUCSU) and residential hall unions, protesters marched to the vice-chancellor’s office and started demonstrating there.
“We are boycotting the farcical polls marred by widespread rigging,” Liton Nandi, who lead the panel of the Leftists’ coalition made the official announcement before the media at the Madhur Canteen.
Flanked by candidates and representatives from all student organizations, including the JCD, he demanded a fresh election before announcing a strike on campus from Tuesday (Mar 12).
At the sit-in protest in front of the VC’s office, students are raising slogans demanding new polls after reconstituting the election conducting committee.
They also demand booths at the academic buildings and transparent ballot boxes for the fresh polls.
Following the media call, protests erupted at several locations on the campus.
DUCSU polls Chief Returning Officer SM Mahfuzur Rahman faced protesters’ wrath outside the Begum Ruqayyah Hall before being managing to leave the spot with help of other students.
IRREGULARITIES, RIGGING SURFACE
Large scale irregularities were reported from two female students’ halls – Ruqayyah Hall and Bangladesh-Kuwait Maitree Hall.
Maitree Hall provost was relieved of duties and replaced by university administration after finding proof of filled ballots.
Voting at Ruqayyah Hall started an hour later at 9am following a dispute over sealing ballot boxes between students and the election officials.
However, two hours into the voting it was halted after the discovery of ballot papers stashed in a room that were seized by the supporters of independent candidates.
Allegations have surfaced from male students’ halls from that BCL activists were hindering voting by making queue longer by standing in line even after voting.
A DUCSU vice president candidate Nurul Haque Nur was assaulted at Ruqayyah Hall and another attack was attempted on another VP candidate Liton Nandi.