Rajshahi – A panel backed by Bangladesh Islami Chhatra Shibir has won the majority of positions in the Rajshahi University Central Students’ Union (RUCSU) election, according to results announced on Friday.
This victory follows similar successes for Shibir-supported groups in other leading universities in Dhaka and Chattogram.
The election, held on Thursday after a gap of three and a half decades, was generally peaceful on the university campus.
Following overnight vote counting, the Chief Election Commissioner, Professor F Nazrul Islam, declared the final results around 9am.
The Shibir-backed “Combined Students Alliance” secured 20 of the 23 positions. Key wins included Mostakur Rahman Jahid, who won the Vice President post by a large margin.
However, in a notable upset, independent candidate Salah Uddin Ammar defeated the Shibir-backed candidate for the pivotal General Secretary position.
The remaining two positions were also won by independent candidates: Nargis Akter as Sports Secretary and Tofael Ahmed Toha as Science Affairs Secretary.
The Bangladesh Jatiatabadi Chhatra Dal, the student wing of the BNP, suffered a significant defeat, failing to secure any of the top positions.
Key Results:
- Vice President (VP): Mostakur Rahman Jahid (“Combined Students Alliance”) won with 12,687 votes, defeating his nearest rival by 9,290 votes.
- General Secretary (GS): Independent candidate Salah Uddin Ammar won with 11,537 votes, a lead of 5,808 votes over the Shibir-backed candidate.
- Assistant General Secretary (AGS): Shibir-supported Salman Sabbir won a close race with a margin of only 1,030 votes.
A festive atmosphere enveloped the campus following the announcement, with students hailing the election as a renewal of democratic practice at the university.
The election saw a voter turnout of 69.83% from a total of 28,901 eligible students. Voting took place across 17 centers on Thursday.
