The Bangladesh Army on Thursday said that it had received no directive from the government to perform duties in the forthcoming university central students’ union elections, nor was there any possibility of such involvement in the future.
The clarification came after reports in the media and on social platforms suggested the army would be deployed to ensure security during the polls.
A statement posted on the Bangladesh Army’s verified Facebook page said, ‘With the direct cooperation of law enforcement agencies and under the overall supervision of the university administrations, the forthcoming central student union elections will be completed in a peaceful and festive environment.’
On August 20, Jahangirnagar University proctor AKM Rashidul Alam, also member secretary of the Jahangirnagar University Central Students’ Union election commission, said that the commission had requested the chief of army staff to deploy troops on the election day, scheduled for September 11.
Similarly, returning officers of the Dhaka University Central Students’ Union election commission announced at a views-exchange meeting with candidates on August 26 that the army would be deployed as a ‘striking force’ at the university’s main entrances during the DUCSU polls on September 9.
The announcement of military deployment on campus has drawn criticism from former student union leaders and some of the current candidates.
Former DUCSU leaders on Wednesday expressed grave concerns about the Dhaka University’s decision to deploy the army during the central students’ union elections.
They said that the campus situation had not deteriorated to such an extent that military deployment was necessary.
Instead, the announcement unnecessarily created ‘a sense of fear’ while undermining the dignity of both the university and the army, they said.