United News of Bangladesh

Candidates backed by Islami Chhatra Shibir under the “Odomyo Jobian Oikko” panel have won the Vice President (VP), General Secretary (GS) and Assistant General Secretary (AGS) posts in the Jagannath University Central Students’ Union (JnUCSU) election. The results of 38 polling centers, out of a total of 40, were announced at 1:00 am on Thursday (January 8) by Chief Election Commissioner Professor Dr. Mostafa Hasan. For the Vice President (VP) post, Riazul Islam of the Shibir-backed Odomyo Jobian Oikko panel secured 5,564 votes, defeating his nearest rival A.K.M. Rakib of the Chhatra Dal-backed Oikkoboddho Nirvik Jobian panel, who received 4,688 votes. The margin of victory was 880 votes. In the General Secretary (GS) race, Abdul Alim Arif of the Shibir-backed panel won with 5,470 votes. His closest opponent, Khadijat-ul Kubra of the Chhatra Dal-backed panel, obtained 2,203 votes. The Shibir-backed candidate secured 3,267 more votes than his rival. Meanwhile, for the Assistant General Secretary (AGS) post, Masud Rana of the Shibir-backed Odomyo Jobian Oikko panel received 5,002 votes, while B.M. Atikur Tanzil of the Chhatra Dal-backed Oikkoboddho Nirvik Jobian panel garnered 3,868 votes. It is noteworthy that 16,645 voters were registered in the JnUCSU election, with an overall voter turnout of approximately 65 percent, according to Election Commissioner Zulfikar Mahmud. On the same day, elections were also held for the Nawab Faizunnesa Chowdhurani Hall Students’ Union, the university’s only women’s hall. Of the 1,242 registered voters there, turnout was approximately 77 percent.

The policy-making body of University of Dhaka, the Syndicate, has recommended renaming Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Hall as Shaheed Osman Hadi Hall and removing the names of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s family members from five university facilities. The recommendation was made at a Syndicate meeting held on Thursday, chaired by Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Niaz Ahmed Khan. According to the decision, Bangamata Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib Hall will be renamed Bir Protik Captain Setara Begum Hall, while Athletes Sultana Kamal Hostel will be renamed after Bir Protik Captain Taramon Bibi. In addition, the names of two staff residential buildings—Russell Tower and Bangabandhu Tower—are also recommended to be changed. DU Proctor Saifuddin Ahmed confirmed the matter, saying the decisions were taken following demands from students, DUCSU and hall parliaments. “All procedures were followed properly. The Syndicate’s recommendations will now be placed before the Senate. Once approved by the Senate, the name changes will be implemented,” he said. The Syndicate also formed charges against four teachers of the Sociology Department based on the report of a fact-finding committee, which was formed following student complaints over their roles and comments during and prior to the July mass uprising. The four teachers are former Jagannath University vice-chancellor Prof Sadeka Halim, Prof A K M Jamal, Teachers’ Association General Secretary Prof Jinat Huda and Prof Mashiur Rahman. Proctor Saifuddin Ahmed said the fact-finding committee found serious allegations against the four teachers. As a result, show-cause notices will be issued asking why they should not be dismissed from the university. An investigation committee will now examine the charges in detail. He added that two other teachers, initially under scrutiny, will receive warning letters as recommended by the fact-finding committee.

The “Australian Education Expo 2026” was held in the capital to showcase the vast higher education opportunities available for Bangladeshi students. The expo was organized by Executive Study Abroad, education consultancy with 24 consecutive years of experience and the highest visa success rate from Bangladesh. The day-long event took place on Thursday at Hotel Sheraton, Dhaka, and featured participation from 30 renowned Australian universities and education institutions, including globally reputed universities such as Monash University, Macquarie University, and Adelaide University.  The expo was inaugurated by Mohammad Rabbani Hossain, Chief Executive  of Executive Study Abroad. Also present were Sajjadur Rahman, Director of the organization, Farhana Nazrin, General Manager, along with representatives from various Australian universities. One of the key attractions of the expo was the opportunity for students to meet university representatives directly. Students were able to obtain detailed information on scholarships and, in many cases, secure on-the-spot admissions. University representatives also highlighted important aspects such as part-time work opportunities during study, post-graduation employment prospects, and the practical realities of living and building a career in Australia. The organizers said that support for students will continue even after the expo. Interested students can receive free admission guidance and visa assistance without any service fees from Executive Study Abroad’s offices in Banani and Dhanmondi. World-class education, a modern research environment, and real opportunities to build an international career after graduation have made Australia one of the top study destinations for students worldwide.  Many universities ranked among the world’s best are located in this advanced and vibrant country. 

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.

The vote counting of the Jagannath University Central Students’ Union (JnUCSU) and hall council elections has not yet begun due to technical problems. To decide on the issue of vote counting, the Election Commission will hold a meeting with panel representatives and independent Vice President (VP) and General Secretary (GS) candidates in the Vice-Chancellor’s conference room. This announcement was made on Tuesday (6 January) by Election Commissioner, Associate Professor Dr. Anisur Rahman. He said, “We are counting votes using two machines. However, the two machines are showing different results. We conducted trial runs over the past three days, and such a problem had not occurred before.” He further added that a meeting would be held in the Vice-Chancellor’s conference room with panel representatives and independent VP and GS candidates regarding the issue. “We will certainly take an inclusive decision there, and we will inform the media about that decision,” he said. Earlier, after being postponed twice, the new date for the Jagannath University Central Students’ Union and hall council elections was announced on 30 December last year. On that day, just before the elections were scheduled to begin, BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia passed away at 6:00 am while undergoing treatment. In light of this, an emergency syndicate meeting was held and the election was postponed. Later, in the face of student protests throughout the day, another emergency syndicate meeting was convened, and 6 January was announced as the new election date. JnUCSU elections: Voting underway amid festive atmosphere Among the notable panels contesting the election are the Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal backed “Oikoboddho Nirbhik Jobiyan”, Islami Chhatra Shibir backed “Odommo Jobiyan Oikya”, Chhatra Shakti backed “Oikoboddho Jobiyan”, and the leftist Maulana Bhasani Brigade panel. In addition, there is a partial panel as well as independent candidates.    

Out of the six constituencies in Sylhet, the National Citizens Party (NCP) fielded candidates in three seats. During the scrutiny process on Saturday, the nomination papers of two candidates were placed on hold, while one was declared valid. The nominations of Sylhet-1 candidate Ehteshamul Haque and Sylhet-4 candidate Rashel Ul Alam were suspended by the Returning Officer and Deputy Commissioner Md. Sarwar Alam. The DC said both Ehteshamul and Rashel were dual citizens. They have informed authorities that they have renounced foreign citizenship, and their documents are under verification. A final decision is expected on Sunday. Ehteshamul Haque, who had lived in the UK for several years, renounced British citizenship on October 22 this year. Rashel Ul Alam, an IT developer who previously resided in the US with his family, has also renounced his American citizenship. Both candidates’ wives continue to live abroad. Meanwhile, Sylhet-3 candidate Barrister Nurul Huda Juned, who spent many years in the UK for studies, has had his nomination declared valid.

A total of 273,554 students have applied to sit for the undergraduate first-year admission tests for the 2025–26 academic session under the GST cluster admission system, reflecting strong competition for public university seats. The online application process concluded at midnight on December 30, officials said. Professor Dr Manjurul Haque, registrar of Islamic University in Kushtia and secretary of the Central Committee of the GST admission tests, confirmed the figures on Saturday morning. He said that among the total applicants, 159,189 students applied for A unit (Science), 90,408 for B unit (Humanities), and 23,957 for C unit (Business Studies). The online application process began on December 10 and was initially scheduled to end on December 24. Later, the deadline was extended by six days to facilitate more students, he said. According to the published schedule, the C unit admission test will be held on March 27, followed by B unit on April 3 and A unit on April 10. The GST cluster admission tests will be conducted for undergraduate first-year admission at Islamic University in Kushtia, Mawlana Bhashani Science and Technology University, Patuakhali Science and Technology University, Noakhali Science and Technology University, Jatiya Kabi Kazi Nazrul Islam University, Jessore University of Science and Technology, Begum Rokeya University, Pabna University of Science and Technology, Gopalganj Science and Technology University, University of Barishal, Rangamati Science and Technology University, Rabindra University, University of Frontier Technology Bangladesh, Netrokona University, Jamalpur Science and Technology University, Kishoreganj University, Chandpur Science and Technology University, Sunamganj Science and Technology University, and Pirojpur Science and Technology University.  

Leading University, Sylhet’s first private university approved by the Government of Bangladesh and the University Grants Commission (UGC), and holding a permanent certificate from the Ministry of Education, will hold its fourth convocation on Saturday (Jan 3). A total of 6,193 graduates will receive their degrees at this ceremony. Speaking on the occasion, the university’s Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. Mohammad Taj Uddin said the convocation marks a significant milestone in the university’s academic journey and a formal recognition of the graduates’ achievements. The ceremony will be presided over by Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, the Ministry of Water Resources, and the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. She will confer degrees to the graduates as the convocation chair. Internationally acclaimed Australian-based Bangladeshi writer and researcher, Dr. Abed Chowdhury, renowned for his work on the Panchbrihi Multi-Harvest Rice Variety and genetic science, will deliver the keynote speech. Special guests include UGC member Professor Dr. Mohammad Anwar Hossain, while the chairman of the university’s Board of Trustees, Dr. Syed Ragib Ali, will deliver the welcome address. Dr. Taj Uddin added that graduates from Spring 2018 to Fall 2025 semesters across four faculties—Business Administration, Arts and Modern Languages, Social Sciences, and Modern Sciences—will receive degrees in ten departments, including Business Administration, Tourism and Hospitality Management, English, Law, Islamic Studies, Computer Science and Engineering, Architecture, Civil Engineering, Electrical and Electronic Engineering, and Public Health. Among the registered graduates, 15 outstanding students will be awarded Chancellor Gold Medals, Vice-Chancellor Gold Medals, Founder Gold Medals, and Co-Founder Gold Medals. The Vice-Chancellor also highlighted the growth in convocation numbers: 156 graduates in the first convocation, 1,210 in the second, 4,734 in the third, and 6,199 in the fourth. A colorful cultural program is scheduled as the second phase of the convocation. Dr. Taj Uddin called for cooperation from all to ensure the convocation is successfully conducted.

A discussion titled “Unyielding National Leader Begum Khaleda Zia: Life and Work” was held at Jahangirnagar University on Thursday (Jan 1) to commemorate BNP Chairperson and former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia. The program took place in the seminar hall of Zahir Raihan Auditorium. The session was moderated by JU’s Acting Registrar Dr. A.B.M. Azizur Rahman, while welcome remarks were delivered by Treasurer Prof. Dr. Abdur Rob. JU Vice-Chancellor Prof. Dr. Mohammad Kamrul Ahsan attended as the chief guest. In his speech, the Vice-Chancellor said, “Through various political developments, Begum Khaleda Zia has emerged as a central figure in Bangladesh’s politics. From the beginning of her political career, she has advanced with the nation and its people at the forefront.” He added, “Her unwavering stance on principles, ethics, ideals, and the aspirations of the people earned her the reputation of an ‘unyielding’ national leader. While holding state responsibilities, she took firm positions on issues such as the Farakka Barrage and the Bihari community crisis, actively working to resolve these challenges.” Other speakers at the session included Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Education) Prof. Dr. Mohammad Mahfuzur Rahman, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Administration) Prof. Dr. Sohel Ahmed, President of the Nationalist Teachers’ Forum Prof. Dr. Md. Shamsul Alam, General Secretary Prof. Md. Jamal Uddin, and various faculty members, officials, staff, and student leaders. Earlier in the morning, a condolence rally was organized by the Nationalist Teachers-Officials Forum in front of Begum Khaleda Zia Hall. The rally circled the campus and concluded at the Zahir Raihan Auditorium.