Polls to Jahangirnagar University Central Student Union (JUCSU) and the Hall Unions have not taken place for 22 long years.
According to the JU Ordinance, JUCSU election is supposed to be held every year.
JUCSU witnessed a total of nine elections since its establishment in 1972 to represent the rights and interests of the students. The last poll was held in 1992-93.JU authorities are collecting JUCSU fees from the students on a regular basis although JUCSU has no activity for long.
Students have now questioned the authorities’ right to spend the fund allocated for the student union. When asked, JU authorities could not give any satisfactory answer in this regard.
Asked about JUCSU election, JU Chhatra Union President Dipanjon Shidhartho said, “Students are paying money in the name of the organisation every year, but they are not facilitated in anyway by JUCSU.”
Convener of JU unit Bangladesh Chhatra Front Shafaat Parvez said, “For any organisation election is a part of the democratic process. But it remained absent here for long due to the lack of proper initiatives by the authorities concerned.” “As a result, only the student wing of the ruling party is spreading its unhindered influence on the campus”, he added.
According to the university Ordinance, Vice-Chancellor is the ex-officio president of the union and a teacher would be appointed as treasurer. The other office-bearers will be elected from students through ballot.
The secretary of JU unit Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal Shohel Rana said, “We are also in favor of JUCSU polls. Election to the student union should be held for the sake of congenial and democratic atmosphere on the campus.”
JU VC Prof Farzana Islam said if congenial environment seen we allow the JUCSU election.
Golam Morshed was elected the first JUCSU VP and Rokon Uddin General Secretary in the first JUCSU polls on January 12, 1971. – Alamgir Hossain Mijan, JU Correspondent
