Islami Chhatra Shibir has tightened its grip on Bangladesh’s student politics, storming to a resounding victory in the Jahangirnagar University Central Student Union (JUCSU) elections.
Riding high on its earlier victory of Dhaka University’s DUCSU polls, the Shibir-backed ‘Coordinated Student Alliance’ clinched 20 out of 25 central council seats, leaving rival groups trailing far behind.
Although independent candidate Abdur Rashid Zitu won the Vice President (VP) post Shibir-backed panel candidates secured the remaining key positions.
Zitu grabbed the VP post with 3324 votes. He is the convener of JU’s Gonoovvutthan Rokkha Andolon and a 47th batch student of the Institute of Comparative Literature and Culture.
The results were announced on Saturday at 7 pm by the JU Election Commission.
The Shibir-backed candidates elected include General Secretary Mazharul Islam (3930 votes) AGS (Male) Ferdous Al Hasan (2358) AGS (Female) Ayesha Siddiqua Meghla (3402) Education & Research Secretary Abu Ubaida Usama (2428) and Environment & Nature Conservation Secretary Md. Shafayet Mir (2811).
Other elected members from the Shibir-backed panel include: Literature & Publication Secretary Jahidul Islam Bappi (1907), Co-Cultural Secretary Md. Raihan Uddin (1986), Drama Secretary Md. Ruhul Islam (1929), Co-Sports Secretary (Female) Farhana Akter Lubna (1976), Co-Sports Secretary (Male) Md. Mahdi Hasan (2105), IT & Library Secretary Md. Rashedul Imon Likhan (2436), Co-Social Welfare & Human Development Secretary (Female) Nigar Sultana, Co-Social Welfare & Human Development Secretary (Male) Touhid Islam (2442) Health & Food Security Secretary Husne Mubarak (2653) and Transport & Communication Secretary Tanvir Rahman (2559).
JUCSU Polls: Independent Abdur Rashid grabs VP, Shibir’s Mazhar bags GS
Executive members include Tarikul Islam (1766) and Abu Talha (1854) (male) and Nabila Binte Harun (2753) Fabliha Jahan (2475) and Nusrat Jahan Ima (3014) (female).
Among the remaining five seats three went to independents and two to the Bangladesh Ganatantrik Chhatra Sangshad (Bagchas) panel. Independent winners were Cultural Secretary Muhibullah Sheikh Jisan (2018) and Sports Secretary Mahmudul Hasan Kiran (5778).
Bagchas won Social Welfare & Human Development Secretary (Ahsan Labib, 1590) and male executive member (Mohammad Ali Chishti, 2414) post.
The elections held for the first time in 33 years saw nearly 68% turnout with about 8000 of 12000 eligible voters casting ballots.
Counting took almost 40 hours as votes were tallied manually rather than by machine.