United News of Bangladesh

Candidates backed by Islami Chhatra Shibir have secured a decisive victory in the Jagannath University Central Students’ Union (JnUCSU) election, winning all three key leadership posts — Vice President (VP), General Secretary (GS) and Assistant General Secretary (AGS). Contesting under the banner of the 'Odomyo Jobian Oikko' panel, the Shibir-backed candidates emerged victorious after votes from all 38 polling centres were counted. The results were officially announced at around 1:00 am early Thursday by Chief Election Commissioner Professor Dr Mostafa Hasan. In the race for the Vice President post, Riazul Islam of the Shibir-backed panel secured 5,564 votes, defeating AKM Rakib of the Chhatra Dal-backed Oikkoboddho Nirvik Jobian panel, who polled 4,688 votes. Riazul’s victory margin stood at 880 votes. Read more: JnUCSU Elections: Shibir-backed panel leads in key posts at four centres The General Secretary contest saw an even more commanding lead. Abdul Alim Arif of the Shibir-backed panel won with 5,470 votes, while his nearest rival, Khadijat-ul Kubra of the Chhatra Dal-backed panel, managed to secure 2,203 votes. Arif finished the race with a margin of 3,267 votes. Meanwhile, in the Assistant General Secretary race, Masud Rana of the Odomyo Jobian Oikko panel received 5,002 votes. His opponent, BM Atikur Tanzil of the Oikkoboddho Nirvik Jobian panel, garnered 3,868 votes. According to Election Commissioner Zulfikar Mahmud, a total of 16,645 voters were registered for the JnUCSU election. Voter turnout stood at approximately 65 percent, indicating a significant level of student participation in the long-awaited campus polls. JnUCSU elections: Voting underway amid festive atmosphere Alongside the central students’ union election, voting was also held on the same day for the Nawab Faizunnesa Chowdhurani Hall Students’ Union, the university’s only women’s hall. Of the 1,242 registered voters in the hall, turnout was recorded at around 77 percent.

The Election Commission has announced the results of eight polling centres of Jagannath University Central Students’ Union (JnUCSU) election, revealing a tightly contested race for the Vice President (VP) post, with a margin of just six votes between the two leading candidates. According to the results available until 10:30am on Wednesday (January 07, 2026), the Shibir-backed panel “Odommo Jobiyan Oikya” is leading in all three top posts. For the VP post, Shibir-backed candidate Riazul Islam is ahead with 810 votes, narrowly leading Chhatra Dal-backed candidate AKM Rakib, who secured 804 votes. Read more: JnUCSU Elections: Shibir-backed panel leads in key posts at four centres In the General Secretary (GS) race, Shibir panel’s Abdul Alim Arif obtained 825 votes, while Chhatra Dal-backed Khadijat-ul-Kobra received 422 votes. For the Assistant General Secretary (AGS) post, Shibir candidate Masud Rana garnered 799 votes, surpassing Chhatra Dal candidate Atiqur Rahman Tanzil, who received 690 votes. Despite trailing in the top three posts and most editorial positions, the Chhatra Dal-backed panel is leading in the Library Secretary and Cultural Secretary posts. Several of its candidates are also performing strongly in the Executive Member races. Vote counting in the JnUCSU election was suspended for a prolonged period due to mechanical faults. The process later resumed using a combination of manual and machine counting, though authorities failed to complete the counting within the expected timeframe. Counting resumed again around 12:45am on Tuesday after a five-hour break, but by 10:30am on Wednesday, results from only eight centres had been announced. Votes from the remaining 31 polling centres are yet to be counted. Read more: JnUCSU Vote Counting Suspended Due to Technical Malfunction The polling centres whose results have been announced are Anthropology, Public Administration, Geography, Pharmacy, Computer Science and Engineering (CSE), Microbiology, Finance and Genetic Engineering.

The Islami Chhatra Shibir-backed panel has taken the lead in the posts of Vice President (VP), General Secretary (GS) and Assistant General Secretary (AGS) in four out of 39 centres in the Jagannath University Central Students’ Union (JnUCSU) election. The JnUCSU Election Commission announced the results from the four centres at around 7:00 am on Wednesday (January 07, 2026). According to the results declared so far, Shibir-backed VP candidate Riaz ul Islam is leading with a total of 427 votes, while Chhatra Dal’s AKM Rakib has secured 394 votes. In the GS race, Shibir’s Abdul Alim Arif is ahead with 385 votes, compared to 205 votes for Chhatra Dal’s Khadijatul Kubra. Read more: Neck-and-neck race for VP in JnUCSU polls:  results of 8 polling centres announced For the AGS post, Shibir-backed Masud Rana is leading with 405 votes, while Chhatra Dal’s BM Atikur Rahman Tanzil has obtained 321 votes. In the Department of Geography and Environment, VP candidate Riaz ul Islam received 100 votes, while AKM Rakib secured 91 votes. In the GS post, Abdul Alim Arif bagged 90 votes against Khadijatul Kubra’s 45. For AGS, Masud Rana received 98 votes, while BM Atikur Rahman Tanzil got 45 votes. In the Department of Anthropology, Riaz ul Islam received 128 votes for the VP post, while AKM Rakib secured 118 votes. In the GS race, Abdul Alim Arif received 123 votes, compared to 73 votes for Khadijatul Kubra. However, in the AGS post, Chhatra Dal’s BM Atikur Rahman Tanzil led with 126 votes, while Masud Rana received 102 votes. In the Department of Public Administration, VP candidate Riaz ul Islam secured 122 votes, while AKM Rakib received 132 votes. In the GS post, Abdul Alim Arif received 123 votes against 62 votes for Khadijatul Kubra. For AGS, Masud Rana obtained 130 votes, while BM Atikur Rahman Tanzil got 106 votes. In the Department of Pharmacy, Riaz ul Islam received 78 votes in the VP race, while AKM Rakib secured 53 votes. In the GS post, Abdul Alim Arif received 83 votes, compared to Khadijatul Kubra’s 26 votes. For AGS, Masud Rana obtained 78 votes, while BM Atikur Rahman Tanzil secured 45 votes. Earlier, around 1:00 am, Election Commissioner Professor Shahidul Islam said votes from one centre, where around 300 ballots were cast, were initially counted manually. The same ballots were later recounted using two Optical Mark Recognition (OMR) machines. The machine whose results matched the manual count was selected to complete the counting for the remaining centres. Following the decision, recounting began with 278 votes from the Department of Anthropology. The vote-counting process was suspended around 9:20 pm on Tuesday after technical problems were detected in the counting machine. After the issue was resolved, the Election Commission resumed counting following a prolonged break. Voting in the JnUCSU and hall council elections was held on Tuesday from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm at 39 centres and 178 booths. Read more: JnUCSU Vote Counting Suspended Due to Technical Malfunction Despite the scheduled closing time, long queues were seen at several departmental centres, and voters waiting in line were allowed to cast their ballots. The voter turnout in the election was said to be approximately 65 per cent.

Voting in the Jagannath University Central Students’ Union (JnUCSU) and Hall Students’ Union elections began on Tuesday (January 06, 2026) amid a festive and peaceful atmosphere. The polling started at around 9am and will continue uninterrupted until 3:30pm. Students began casting their votes from the morning, marking a significant day in campus politics. Long queues of voters were seen in front of the polling centres. This is the first time such elections are being held since Jagannath University was established as a university. Read more: Long-cherished JnUCSU Election on Tuesday A total of 16,500 students are expected to cast their votes at 178 booths across 39 polling centres. Besides, 1,242 students will exercise their voting rights in one hall union. According to the Election Commission, 39 polling centres have been set up, with 178 booths installed across these centres. Of these, 38 centres have been designated for the central students’ union, while one separate centre has been allocated for the hall parliament. Law enforcement agencies and volunteer teams have also been deployed alongside the university administration to maintain security. DU VC meets Tarique Rahman, discusses campus safety ahead of election Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Md Rezaul Karim said, “The university administration has taken all necessary measures to ensure that the long-awaited JnUCSU election is conducted in a free, fair and impartial manner. This election is extremely important for fostering a democratic environment and leadership development at the university. I hope voters will exercise their voting rights in a disciplined manner in a festive atmosphere.” University Proctor Prof Dr Muhammad Tazammul Haque said adequate security measures have been taken in connection with the elections. He also expressed the hope that these measures would remain in place until the completion of the polling. According to the list published on the website, there are four candidates for the Liberation War and Democracy post, nine for Education and Research, five for Science and Technology, five for Health and Environment, four for Law and Human Rights, eight for International Affairs, seven for Literature and Culture, seven for Sports, four for Transport, ten for Social Service and Student Welfare, seven for Library and Seminar, and 57 candidates competing for seven member posts. In the women’s hall, a preliminary list of candidates has been published for 13 posts. These include three candidates for Vice-President (VP), three for General Secretary (GS), two for Assistant General Secretary (AGS), two for Literature and Publication Secretary, four for Culture Secretary, two for Library Secretary, two for Sports Secretary, three for Social Service and Student Welfare Secretary, four for Health and Environment Secretary, and eight candidates competing for four member posts. The JnUCSU election was scheduled to be held on December 30 but was postponed following the demise of former Prime Minister and BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia. Read more: Candidates not allowed to enter any center other than their own: JnUCSU Election Commission

The Jagannath University Central Students’ Union (JnUCSU) and Hall Students’ Union elections will be held on Tuesday (December 30, 2025). Voting will start at 9:00 am and continue until 3:00 pm without any break. A total of 16,500 students are expected to exercise their voting rights at 178 booths across 39 polling centers. Ballot papers will be distributed to the polling centers in the morning before voting begins. Votes will be counted using digital OMR machines. To ensure security, CCTV cameras have been installed at every polling center. Read more: Candidates not allowed to enter any center other than their own: JnUCSU Election Commission Ahead of the election, the university administration has strengthened security in and around the Jagannath University campus. Alongside law enforcement personnel, intelligence officers have also been seen on duty. A police control room has been set up at Victoria Park in front of the university. Meanwhile, to ensure campus security, a separate notice issued by the Registrar’s Office instructed all students to vacate the campus by 3:30 pm on Monday. It was also announced that all buses operating under the university transport pool would depart 15 minutes earlier than scheduled. Officers and teachers assigned election duties have been directed to perform their responsibilities in accordance with the Election Commission’s guidelines. Faisal Ahmed, officer-in-charge (OC) of Kotwali Police Station, said there is no security concerns surrounding the elections. “We have taken all necessary preparations. Special forces are on standby around the campus, and CCTV cameras have been installed at various important points for round-the-clock surveillance,” he added. Election Commissioner Professor Dr. Zulfikar Mahmud said that all preparations related to the election have been completed. “Responsibilities have been assigned to teachers and officials for election duties. We hope the election will be held smoothly with everyone’s participation,” he added. Jagannath University Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. Md. Rezaul Karim said, “The JnUCSU election will definitely be held. The ministry has sought some information from me regarding security matters. Overall, I am optimistic that the election will be conducted in a very fair and festive environment.” Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal-backed VP candidate AKM Rakib said, “Tomorrow (Tuesday) is our long-cherished election, for which we have been continuing movements and struggles for a long time. We have stood by the students in the past and will continue to do so in the future. We hope for a good election in a festive atmosphere.” Islami Chhatra Shibir-backed VP candidate Riazul Islam said, “Students are spontaneously participating in our campaign. Just as talented students in other campuses across Bangladesh have placed their trust in Shibir, we are hopeful that the same trust will be reflected in the JnUCSU election.” Chhatra Shakti-backed Oikjoboddho Jobiyan panel’s VP candidate Kishor Samya said, “The Election Commission is merely a nominal commission. This commission could not resolve even a single violation of the code of conduct. We call upon students to vote against oppression.” JnUCSU election: Students asked to vacate campus by 3:30pm According to the list published on the website, there are 4 candidates for the Liberation War and Democracy position, 9 for Education and Research, 5 for Science and Technology Editor, 5 for Health and Environment Editor, 4 for Law and Human Rights Editor, 8 for International Affairs Editor, 7 for Literature and Culture Editor, 7 for Sports Editor, 4 for Transport Editor, 10 for Social Service and Student Welfare Editor, 7 for Library and Seminar Editor, and 57 candidates contesting 7 general member positions. In the women’s hall, for 13 positions, the preliminary list includes 3 candidates for Vice-President (VP), 3 for General Secretary (GS), 2 for Assistant General Secretary (AGS), 2 for Literature and Publication Editor, 4 for Culture Editor, 2 for Library Editor, 2 for Sports Editor, 3 for Social Service and Student Welfare Editor, 4 for Health and Environment Editor, and 8 candidates contesting 4 general member positions in the hall parliament.

The long-awaited student union election process at Jagannath University have officially kicked off, following the publication of the Jagannath University Central Students’ Union (JnUCSU) election rules and the formation of its Election Commission, marking a distinctive step in the process. Political student organisations are now racing to form ‘inclusive panels’ while several independent candidates are also preparing to contest either through partial alliances or independent lists. According to various campus-based student groups, at least four organisations are in the process of forming three separate panels. JnU units of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) and Islami Chhatra Shibir are planning to form inclusive panels, while Jatiya Chhatra Shakti and Chhatra Adhikar Parishad are holding talks to field a joint panel. JCD leader and prospective JnUCSU vice-president candidate passes away Left-leaning student groups are also moving towards unity to strengthen their position. Chhatra Dal’s Inclusive Presentation Sources within the JnU Chhatra Dal said that among the three top positions—VP, GS, and AGS—two may be filled by popular female candidates including at least one from outside the organisation. The group is trying to engage academically accomplished, athletic, and socially active students and five to seven potential candidates are expected to come from non-political backgrounds. “We have not yet finalised our decision. We are considering both internal and external aspirants. Our goal is to form a unique and inclusive panel by involving female and Hindu students,” said JnU Chhatra Dal member secretary Shamsul Arefin. Shibir’s Focus Popular Candidates Bangladesh Islami Chhatra Shibir, the student wing of Jamaat-e-Islami, is also working to create a diverse panel by including non-members and female students. At least one of the top three positions may go to a non-member, sources said. The group plans to include members of Chhatri Sangstha, Jamaat’s female student wing, students involved in the July Movement, and other progressive people with strong academic and social credentials. JnUCSU election roadmap announced, polls on Nov 27 “We are working to form an inclusive panel consisting of members from Shibir, Chhatri Sangstha, and other students from outside the organisation,” said JnU Shibir president Md Riazul Islam. Adhikar and Chhatra Shakti After years of separate political activity, Jatiya Chhatra Shakti, the student wing of National Citizen Party (NCP) and Chhatra Adhikar Parishad are now holding talks to launch a joint panel. Both groups, reportedly disheartened by poor results in other universities’ elections, are keen to consolidate their strength at JnU by nominating academically sound and movement-oriented candidates. “Negotiations with Chhatra Shakti are progressing well though some matters are still under negotiation,” said JnU Chhatra Adhikar Parishad president AKM Rakib. Chhatra Shakti convener Faisal Murad said, “Candidates will be selected based on merit and acceptance. Our panel will also include female and Hindu students.” What Leftists Want Left-leaning organisations are in talks to form a single alliance after facing setbacks in past elections due to division. They plan to include progressive, non-partisan students particularly those active in cultural and social organisations on campus. JnU students besiege VC office, demand action over attack on teachers   “We will ensure maximum inclusivity in our panel. It will include progressive organisations, female students, indigenous students, and even participants from campus cultural groups,” said JnU Socialist Students’ Front president Evan Tahsib. Besides, students involved in journalism, cultural activities, and voluntary work are considering forming an independent panel under the Abakash Bhaban network. Dope Test The JnU Election Commission has announced a draft code of conduct that makes drug testing mandatory for all candidates contesting the central and hall union polls. Anyone testing positive for drug use will be disqualified. The draft, released on Thursday night, also bars students convicted of criminal offences, disciplinary violations, or sexual misconduct from voting or contesting. Students previously punished by the university will remain ineligible until their suspension period ends but may regain eligibility afterward. Campaigning inside classrooms or exam halls during academic sessions will be prohibited, as will rallies and assemblies on campus during the election period. Candidates may spend up to Tk 5,000 in hall elections and Tk 15,000 in central elections while offering food, drinks, or gifts to voters is strictly forbidden. Defamatory, hateful, or provocative speech is also banned. “The initial decision for drug tests has been made but no election date has been set yet. The schedule will be finalised through discussions,” said Chief Election Commissioner Prof Dr Mostafa Hasan. BNP announces possible candidates for 237 constituencies