After 35 years, elections to the Chittagong University Central Students’ Union (CUCSU) and hall unions are being held today (Wednesday).
Voting for the 7th CUCSU election runs from 9am to 4pm, with counting to begin immediately after polls close.
Fourteen LED screens across the campus will display live updates.
Results of the central union will be announced from the Faculty of Business Administration, while hall union results will come from respective centres, according to university authorities.
A total of 27,518 students — 16,189 male and 11,329 female — are eligible to vote.
Altogether 415 candidates are contesting 26 CUCSU posts.
Polling is taking place in 15 centres across five faculties, including Business Administration, Social Sciences, Science, and Arts and Humanities. An additional booth has been set up at the CUCSU building for differently-abled students.
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The Election Commission has arranged 700 booths in 60 rooms, each equipped with five ballot boxes and five agents.
Maximum 500 voters are allowed per centre.
Thirteen panels and several independent candidates are contesting the polls.
Twenty-four are vying for vice president (VP), 22 for general secretary (GS), and 21 for assistant general secretary (AGS). Other portfolios include sports, culture, publications, welfare, research and IT.
Each hall and hostel union has 14 posts, with 908 candidates in total.
Each voter will cast up to 40 votes on five ballot papers. Ballot counting will be conducted through the Optical Mark Reader (OMR) system.
To facilitate transportation, 11 shuttle train trips and 30 buses have been arranged for students.
The entire campus has been placed under tight security, with about 1,700 personnel — including police, RAB, APBN, and BGB members — deployed alongside university security staff, Rover Scouts, and BNCC volunteers.
The polls schedule was announced on August 28, followed by the final voter list on September 11. Although initially set for October 12, the election was rescheduled to October 15 following student demands.
Chief Election Commissioner Prof Dr Munir Uddin said voting is being held across five faculties under CCTV surveillance.
Chittagong University abuzz as CUCSU campaign nears end
Established in 1966, Chittagong University held its first CUCSU election in 1970.
The last election took place on February 8, 1990, when the Shwarba Daliyo Chatra Oikkwo defeated Islami Chhatra Shibir to secure a majority in both CUCSU and hall unions.
Nazim Uddin of Jatiya Chhatra League was elected VP, while Azim Uddin Ahmed of Socialist Students’ Front became GS.