DUCSU elections: Shibir and Chhatra Dal-backed candidates cast votes

PARBATTA NEWS DESK

Polling is underway in the long-awaited Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (DUCSU) elections, with key candidates casting their votes early on Tuesday morning.

Islami Chhatra Shibir’s vice president candidate Sadik Kayem and Chhatra Dal-backed general secretary candidate Sheikh Tanvir Bari Hamim voted at the Udayan School and College polling centre around 08:30 am.

After casting his ballot, Sadik Kayem urged students to support their chosen panels. “Through this DUCSU election, we want to establish a positive democratic transition,” he said.

General secretary candidate Sheikh Tanvir Bari Hamim expressed satisfaction with the overall process. He predicted voter turnout could reach 80–85% and voiced optimism about his prospects.

Candidates and voters

This year, 471 candidates are competing for 28 positions. The contests follow 13 days of vigorous campaigning in a festive atmosphere, where candidates used a range of creative methods to reach students.

A total of 39,775 students are registered to vote, including 20,873 men and 18,902 women. Polling is scheduled to continue until 16:00 across eight centres on campus.

Security measures

The Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) has deployed extensive security measures to maintain order during the polls.

Arrangements include check-posts at campus gates, regular patrols, officers equipped with body cameras, SWAT teams, bomb disposal squads, intelligence surveillance, CCTV monitoring and patrols by special forces.

Members of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) have also been deployed. According to police, 1,771 officers were on duty on Monday, with another 2,096 joining on Tuesday.