Voting for the Jahangirnagar University Central Students’ Union (JUCSU) and hall union elections concluded on Thursday afternoon, yet long queues of eager students remained outside several polling centres.
Although polling stations were mostly quiet in the morning, turnout picked up steadily after noon. By 2 pm, significant queues had formed at a number of centres, particularly six venues with 1,000 voters each.
One first-time voter described the process as festive, saying, ‘This is our first experience of casting a ballot, and we’re excited to take part in a democratic exercise.’
Large crowds were reported at Kazi Nazrul Islam Hall, Hall No. 21 and Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmed Hall, where more than 200 students gathered at each site.
Returning officers said all the voters who joined the queues before the 5 pm deadline would be allowed to cast their ballots, regardless of how long counting might take.
As of 5:20pm, more than 200 students were still waiting outside the Kazi Nazrul Islam Hall centre.
Meanwhile, the Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD)-backed panel announced a boycott, alleging vote rigging. The panel’s general secretary candidate, Tanzila Hossain Boishakhi, made the announcement at a campus press conference around 3:30pm.
