United News of Bangladesh

Just one day before the end of campaigning for the Jagannath University Central Students’ Union (JnUCSU) election, allegations have surfaced that 40,000 leaflets of the leftist “Maulana Bhasani Brigade” panel were stolen. The panel leaders made the allegation at a press conference held at 3:30 pm on Friday (26 December). Amrin Jahan Opi, the panel’s candidate for Social Welfare and Student Affairs Secretary, said, “Yesterday at noon, 40,000 campaign leaflets of our 21 candidates went missing. At that time, we did not receive any satisfactory response from the university administration. Later, we came to know that the leaflets were taken away by cleaning staff in the name of cleaning.” GS candidate Ivan Tahseeb said, “Yesterday, our 40,000 leaflets were stolen from in front of the staircase of the Abakash Building. Although we managed to recover a portion of them, the campaign materials of several candidates are still missing. We demand compensation for this incident and call for punishment of those involved, following a proper investigation.” VP candidate Gourab Bhowmik said, “The cleaning staff who took our leaflets are claiming that since the campaign period was over, they sold them. However, we have seen that no leaflets of any other panel were stolen. We demand the administration to take appropriate action.” Demand for Manual Voting: At the press conference, the Maulana Bhasani Brigade also demanded that voting be conducted through a manual system. In this regard, the panel’s AGS candidate Shamsul Alam Maruf said, “In previous student union elections, we have seen allegations of election manufacturing. Moreover, the Election Commission has failed to provide any clear explanation on how the machine would read ballots if voters mark the cross symbol more than once. Therefore, we demand that voting be held through a manual system.”

Jahangirnagar University has published the admission test results of the D unit under the Faculty of Biological Sciences for first-year undergraduate Honours students of the 55th batch. The overall pass rate stands at 39.10 percent. The results were published on Thursday night on the university’s admission test website. University sources said a total of 22,671 candidates passed the D unit test. Of them, 8,237 were male students and 14,434 were female students. Dean of the Faculty of Biological Sciences Professor Mohammad Mafruhi Sattar said female participation in the D unit admission test was comparatively higher. He said 33,491 female candidates appeared in the test, of whom 14,434 passed, making the female pass rate 43.10 percent. On the other hand, 8,237 out of 24,491 male candidates passed, with a pass rate of 33.63 percent. According to the admission office, the total number of seats in the D unit under the Faculty of Biological Sciences is 310. Of these, 155 seats are reserved for male students and the same number for female students. A total of 70,221 candidates appeared in the D unit admission test. University authorities said detailed information and results related to the admission test are available on the university’s admission website ju-admission.org. The admission tests for first-year undergraduate Honours programmes at Jahangirnagar University for the 2025–26 academic year began on December 21 and will continue until December 29.

Ahead of the Jagannath University Central Students’ Union (JnUCSU) and hall union elections, the Jagannath University Chhatra Dal and Chhatra Odhikar supported panel “Oikyoboddho Nirbheek Jobiyan” has announced a 13-point manifesto, prioritizing the assurance of hygienic food and the resolution of the accommodation crisis. The manifesto was unveiled at a press conference held at around 3:00 pm on Tuesday (December 23) in front of the Language Martyr Rafiq Building on campus. The panel’s Vice President (VP) candidate, AKM Rakib, read out the manifesto, while other candidates of the panel presented its various points sequentially. The 13-point manifesto of the Chhatra Dal and Chhatra Odhikar backed panel includes: ensuring a democratic and secure campus; short-term and long-term solutions to the accommodation crisis; renovation, expansion, modernization of the main campus infrastructure and the speedy completion of the second campus construction; improvement and expansion of transportation and commuting facilities; ensuring hygienic and nutritious food; guaranteeing quality healthcare services and health insurance; enhancing the quality of education and research; ensuring harassment-free and faster administrative services; job creation, career development, and strengthening professional networking; expansion of sports and cultural activities; protection of women students’ rights; waste management, environmental protection, and greenery development; and special initiatives for financially disadvantaged and students with special needs. JnUCSU Election: Ballot numbers of candidates published Additionally, at the press conference, three independent VP candidates announced their withdrawal from the election in support of AKM Rakib. They are Chandan Kumar Das, Rakib Hasan, and Mashruf Ahmed. Speaking at the event, they stated that there is no place for disunity in the struggle to protect the rights of Jobiyan students. Therefore, in the greater interest and with the aim of presenting strong leadership, they decided to withdraw their candidacies. They also announced their full support for Rakib, the VP candidate of the “Oikyoboddho Nirbheek Jobiyan” panel. Other candidates of the “Oikyoboddho Nirbheek Jobiyan” panel were also present at the press conference.  

Jahangirnagar University (JU) has published the results of the 2025–2026 academic year undergraduate (honours) first-year admission tests for the ‘B’, ‘C’, and ‘E’ units, on Tuesday afternoon. The results were released through a notice on the university’s official website. According to the notice, the results have been prepared based on a shift-wise merit list. Following previous years’ practice, admissions and migration processes will be conducted according to shift-based merit rankings derived from the published results, it said . The university administration also stated that detailed information regarding the admission tests and results can be accessed on JU’s admission portal at ‘ju-admission.org’. The 2025–2026 first-year undergraduate admission tests at JU began on December 21 and will continue until December 29.

Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (DUCSU) Vice-President Abu Shadik Kayem has declined government-provided gunman support, saying security should be ensured for all citizens, not just a few individuals. In a Facebook post on Monday night, Kayem said the government had recently decided to provide gunmen to student leaders of the July uprising, leaders of various political parties and media personalities. He said he was informed about the decision but chose not to accept the offer for himself. Following the fall of the Hasina government, Kayem said people expected visible and fair changes in the country’s overall security system. However, he claimed that public security continues to be disrupted due to the ineffective role of law enforcement agencies and the direct or indirect support of what he termed fascist forces within various institutions. He said if law enforcement agencies were effectively activated and criminals brought to justice, public concern over security would not be so acute. Referring to recent incidents, Kayem said that while top criminals are released on bail and roam freely, leaders such as Osman Hadi have been killed and the perpetrators remain at large. “At the same time, there are proposals to provide gunmen for personal security. I am reluctant to accept this reality,” he wrote. Kayem acknowledged that security is necessary for everyone but stressed that it should not be limited to select individuals or groups. “Our demand is to build a safe and just Bangladesh for all,” he said. Bangladesh provides gunmen for 20 individuals on hit lists He added that as long as students and the general public remain unsafe, he does not consider it appropriate to accept gunman support solely for personal protection. Earlier today, Home Affairs Adviser Jahangir Alam Chowdhury said the interim government of Bangladesh has assigned gunmen to 20 individuals who were on alleged hit lists doing the rounds and facing security risks. “Those who are on hit lists or concerned about their security have already been given gunmen,” he told reporters after a meeting on the law and order situation at the secretariat.  

Dhaka University (DU) has confirmed that none of its buildings are structurally at risk and regular academic activities will resume from December 28. “Considering students’ safety and mental well-being after the recent earthquakes, we quickly formed an expert committee. The committee’s report did not identify any major structural risks anywhere,” said Prof Dr. M. Jahangir Alam Chowdhury, yreasurer of the university and Chairman of the post-earthquake monitoring committee, on Monday. He provided an update on renovation and repair works at a press briefing in the university’s Professor Abdul Matin Virtual Classroom. He said that after completing all necessary technical inspections the buildings have been deemed safe for students and renovation work is ongoing in a few buildings. Earlier, all academic activities were suspended on November 22 to inspect and repair vulnerable buildings and students were asked to vacate their halls. The winter vacation was subsequently scheduled from December 6 to December 28.

Leaders of the Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (DUCSU), along with students, seized the Vice-Chancellor’s Office on Sunday, demanding the renaming of two residential halls of Dhaka University (DU) and immediate administrative action against teachers, officials and employees accused of supporting the massacre by government agencies during the The protesters demanded that Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Hall be renamed “Shaheed Osman Hadi Hall” and Bangamata Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib Hall be renamed “Bir Protik Sitara Begum Hall.” In this regard, they submitted a memorandum to the university’s Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Admin), Professor Dr. Sayema Haque Bidisha. DUCSU Vice-President Shadik Kayem and other leaders along with students and hall union leaders, participated in the demonstration. Speaking at the programme, Shadik Kayem said, “The first demand we have brought today is that all name on the university campus that stand as icons of fascism must be changed immediately. We have already received students’ opinions.” He added that students have proposed renaming Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Hall after July fighter Sharif Osman Hadi, and that signatures are being collected from students to submit this demand formally to the administration. Similarly, students have expressed their support for renaming Fazilatunnesa Mujib Hall as ‘Bir Protik Sitara Begum Hall.’ He alleged that collaborators of fascism are still conspiring while sitting in the registrar’s building, adding, “We will not make any more compromises.” Earlier, students of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Hall reportedly removed the hall’s nameplate last night and wrote ‘Shaheed Sharif Osman Hadi Hall’ in its place.

Dhaka University has announced that the postponed admission test of the Science Unit (Ka unit) for the 2025–26 academic year will be held on December 27. The information was disclosed in a press release issued by the university’s Public Relations Office on Sunday. The release said Science Unit applicants from outside Dhaka who have admission tests at other universities in the capital on December 26 and 27 and therefore require a change of exam centre may apply online for a centre change within Dhaka. Applications can be submitted through the website admission.eis.du.ac.bd from 5:00pm on December 21 until 12:00 midnight on December 23. Applicants must upload copies of their HSC registration card and the admit card of the concerned university’s admission test while submitting the online application. The admission test was originally scheduled for December 20 but was postponed as state mourning was observed that day over the death of Inquilab Moncho spokesperson Sharif Osman Hadi after an assassination attempt.

The deadline for applying for admission to Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST) for the 2025-26 academic year has been extended till December 25. The matter was confirmed in a notification signed by the Admission Committee President, Professor Md Ahmed Kabir Chowdhury, on Saturday. The notification said that in view of the current situation in the country and the requests of students and guardians, the application period for the 2025-26 academic year has been extended until 11:59 pm on December 25. The admission test for the 2025-26 academic year will be held on January 13 and 14 next year.

The undergraduate (Honours) first-year admission test of Jahangirnagar University (JU) for the 2025–26 academic session will begin on Sunday with the examination of ‘C’ unit. The university authorities have issued nine important instructions for candidates appearing in the admission test, Syed Mohammad Ali Reza, member secretary of the university’s Admission Management Committee and deputy registrar (education), said on Saturday evening. 1.      Candidates must fill in the OMR answer sheet properly using a black ballpoint pen. Any incorrectly filled OMR sheet will be considered invalid. The form must not be folded, torn, stained, stapled or pinned. 2.      Candidates are required to write their roll number, shift and question set code in English. Both the OMR sheet and question paper must be submitted to the invigilator at the end of the examination. 3.      Information regarding exam centre and seat can be found on the downloaded admit card. 4.      Candidates must reach the centre at least 10 minutes before the examination begins. 5.      No bags, books, mobile phones, watches, calculators or any electronic devices will be allowed inside the examination hall. A wall clock will be available in the hall for time management. 6.      Only candidates and concerned officials will be permitted to enter the examination centre. 7.      The results of the admission test will be published within seven days after the completion of the examination on the website: ju-admission.org. Jahangirnagar University suspends 16 students over ragging of freshmen 8.      Candidates must bring the original Secondary School Certificate (SSC) registration card along with the admission test admit card. 9.      As the JU campus is located about 30 kilometres away from Dhaka city, candidates have been advised to arrive at the centre well in advance, considering possible traffic congestion. According to university sources, a total of 219,399 applications have been submitted this year against 1,844 seats in seven units, meaning an average of 119 applicants are competing for each seat.