Jahangirnagar University’s central student union election commission faced fresh turmoil on Friday after election commissioner Professor Mafruhi Satter resigned, saying the entire process had been compromised.
Professor Satter, dean of the JU biological sciences faculty and widely seen as aligned with the Bangladesh Nationalist Party camp, announced his resignation at a press briefing on campus around 8:45pm on Friday.
‘The way this whole process has been conducted, the flaws that should have been addressed were ignored by the commission,’ Satter said.
‘I repeatedly urged the commission to halt counting and investigate the allegations before moving forward, but I failed.’
He said the pressure he faced was not to resign but rather to remain in his position despite growing controversy.
‘I was not forced to resign, nor am I doing so under instructions from any political party,’ Satter said. ‘I have never been afraid of anyone, and I am not afraid now.’
Earlier on Thursday, in the last hour of voting, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party-backed Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal panel boycotted the polls, claiming irregularities and bias.
Chief election commissioner Md Moniruzzaman denied allegations of bias but refused to comment on Professor Mafruhi’s resignation.
His departure comes amid intensifying disputes over the JUCSU election, where results have been delayed and allegations of irregularities continue to mount.
