The disagreement among the student organisations regarding the announcement of the Jahangirnagar University Central Students' Union (JUCSU) election schedule has reached its peak.
According to the pre-announced roadmap, the university administration was supposed to declare the election schedule yesterday, but this was not done, citing recommendations from the environment council formed to oversee the electoral processes of the upcoming JUCSU election.
Several student organisations, including Chhatra Dal, leftist student groups, and nine organisations under the Sanskritik Jote (Cultural Alliance), are demanding necessary reforms to the JUCSU constitution before the election is held.
To press this demand, over 100 hundred Chhatra Dal leaders and activists staged a sit-in protest in front of the university's new administrative building from 3:30pm to 6:00pm yesterday.
The organisations have boycotted two discussion meetings called by the university administration regarding JUCSU, citing the administration's invitation to Islami Chhatra Shibir in the meetings and the presence of "fascist" pro-Awami League teachers in key administrative positions.
On January 26, multiple leftist student organisations -- including Bangladesh Chhatra Union, Bangladesh Samajtantrik Chhatra Front, and Biplobi Chhatra Maitri -- issued a joint press release under the banner of Gonotantrik Chhatra Jote, advocating for reforms before the election. On the same day, nine organisations under the Sanskritik Jote also released a statement echoing the same demand.
In response, several organisations -- including Students Against Discrimination, Chhatra Shibir, two organisations under the Sanskritik Jote, Gono Obbhunthan Rokkhya Andolon, Jahangirnagar Sanskar Andolon, and the July Gonohotta Bichar Nishchit Parishad -- staged a counter-protest around 6:30pm yesterday.
More than a hundred leaders and activists from these groups demanded the immediate announcement of the election schedule. They also warned that if the schedule was not declared soon, they would obstruct the upcoming JU admission tests.
Touhid Mohammad Siam, member secretary of the Students Against Discrimination JU unit, accused that outsiders are participating in Chhatra Dal's protest to pressure the administration into delaying the election schedule. "If the election schedule is not announced before the upcoming admission test, we will not allow the test to take place," he said.
On the other hand, JU Chhatra Dal Member Secretary Wasim Ahmed Onik emphasised the need for constitutional reforms before the election. "Those holding key positions in the JU administration are allies of the fascist Awami League. A fair election is impossible under their influence. Moreover, the existing JUCSU constitution is outdated and must be revised before the election. If these reforms are not implemented, we will not accept the election," he said.
Commenting on the situation, JU Vice-Chancellor Professor Kamrul Ahsan told The Daily Star: "Student organisations are divided into two groups -- one demanding an immediate election schedule and the other calling for a reform commission before the announcement. Based on the recommendation of the environment council, we have formed a committee to review the JUCSU constitution."
The university administration has formed a 10-member JUCSU constitution reform committee, with JU Treasurer Professor Abdur Rab serving as the convener. The committee has been instructed to submit its recommendations on necessary reforms within four working days.
Source: The Daily Star