Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal-backed panel Jahangirnagar University Central Students’ Union alleged that Jamaat-e-Islami’s company provided ballot papers and vote-counting machines, fearing irregularities at the voting.
JCD vice president candidate Sheikh Sadi Hasan alleged that ballot papers supplied for the polls came from a company with ties to Jamaat-e-Islami, accusing Islami Chhatra Shibir of planning to influence results in their favour.
At a press conference at Maulana Bhashani Hall around 1:00pm, he said, ‘When evidence of manipulation through OMR machines came to light, the commission reverted to manual counting under pressure from teachers and students. Yet today’s ballots are still from the same company.’
He alleged that the election commission procured both ballots and machines from an ‘unknown company’ without proper procedure and claimed Shibir activists had gathered around campus, spreading fear among general students.
‘We see teachers and staff remaining passive at polling centres, leaving them open for potential fake votes,’ he said.
Sadi urged the commission to uphold neutrality and avoid enabling any partisan agenda, warning that an atmosphere of intimidation could discourage students from voting.
Tanzeela Hossain Baishakhi, a general secretary candidate backed by JCD, claimed that vote-counting machines were purchased from a company linked to a political party.
Speaking after casting her ballot at Hall 13 around 10:0am, she said, ‘We cannot trust machines supplied by a company tied to one party. There is a risk of manipulation, and we have informed the election commission. Later they assured us that votes will be counted manually instead of using machines.’
She added that enthusiasm among female students appeared low compared with expectations, blaming complications such as voter ID card renewals and administrative hurdles.
Earlier in the day, the chief election commissioner, Professor Moniruzzaman, issued a notice confirming that all ballots would be counted.
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