United News of Bangladesh

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. Shibir unveils panel for CUCSU polls 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.

Chattogram University on Monday suspended four students for their alleged involvement in sexually assaulting two female students of the university last year, officials said. Those suspended are Junayed of Arabic Department of the university, Rubel, Islamic History and Culture Department, Md Raju and Md Emon, of Philosophy Department of the university. All of them were suspended for one year, said CU Registrar (Acting) SM Manirul Hasan while talking at a press briefing held at the conference room of the VC. The university authorities also asked to resolve two more allegations received by Sexual Repression Cell. Read: CU student assault: Police seek 7-day remand for arrestees Already three allegations received by Sexual Repression Cell were resolved and the authorities concerned also warned two more teachers of the university of the allegations brought against them, said Manirul. On September 16, two students of Communication and Journalism Department were allegedly sexually assaulted in front of CU Central Mosque. Besides, another female student was sexually assaulted by five youths while she was going to the Botanical Garden from Pritilata Hall of the campus with his friend on July 17, this year. Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) detained four people in connection with the alleged assault of a female student that sparked protests on the campus.

Chittagong University Vice Chancellor Professor Dr. Shireen Akhter said all the students who were involved in the assault of a female student on the campus will be expelled. She declared it at the 34th annual senate meeting of the university on Saturday. “We are disheartened by the incident and announcing zero tolerance against such crimes. We are trying our best to ensure justice and law enforcers have already detained four people. The offenders will get highest punishment and will be expelled from the university,” she said. Earlier Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) detained four people including two CU students in connection with the alleged assault that sparked protests on the CU campus. Also read: Four held over CU student assault The detainees were identified as Mohammad Azim, 23, a second year student of History department of CU, Nurul Absar alias Babu, 22, second year student of Anthropology department of CU, Nur Hossain alias Shaon, 22, a first year student of Hathazari Government College, and Masud Rana alias Masud, 22, a second year student of the same college. During questioning, the detainees have confessed to their guilt, said Rab on Saturday. On July 17, a female student was physically assaulted by five youths while she was going to the Botanical Garden from Pritilata Hall of the campus with her friend around 10pm. The goons also captured the incident on video and threatened to make it viral. Later, they fled with the mobile phones and wallets of the two students. Also read: Two of 5 assailants finally identified in CU incident A five-member body was formed to investigate the assault after the female student filed a written complaint to the proctor. A case was also filed under the Women and Children Repression Act accusing five people. On July 19, after the university authorities set the time limit for female students to enter the residential hall before 10 pm after the incident students started a movement against the decision. Since hundreds of CU students have been staging protests, holding human chains every day on the campus demanding justice for the female student who was allegedly harassed.

A mobile court on Wednesday imposed a fine of Tk 20,000 on a 21-year-old youth for stalking two female students of Chittagong University in the Borodighirpar area of Hathazari upazila. Assistant Commissioner (land) Sharif Ullah, an executive magistrate, said the female students of CU have been frequenting the area for the past three years for private tuition purposes. Read:3 arrested over mason's mysterious death in Chattogram "Some youths of the area have been teasing them on the students on their way to tuition classes for the past couple of months," he said. On Wednesday too, Rakib, son of Mohammad Emran, along with his friends, stalked the girls as usual. "One of them resisted and an argument broke out between her and the stalkers, prompting her to call police," Sharif said. Read: Woman stabbed dead in Chattogram Later, the mobile court, slapped a fine of Tk 20,000 on Rakib.  According to local people, Rakib studies in a college abroad but is currently in his home country of Bangladesh owing to the Covid-induced lockdown.