The code of conduct for the elections of the Rajshahi University Central Students' Union (RUCSU), hall unions, and student representatives in the university senate was published on the university website Thursday afternoon.
According to the code, every candidate must present a negative dope test report. Otherwise, their candidature will be cancelled.
Only candidates and a maximum of five designated representatives each will be allowed to conduct election campaigns. No other individual is permitted to campaign either for or against any candidate. Campaigning inside academic buildings, classrooms, and residential halls has been strictly prohibited.
On election day, only the RU teachers, officers, employees, and other officially approved persons will be allowed to enter the campus. All students must carry their identity cards during the election. No student will be allowed to stay in the residential halls during that time.
On Monday, a seven-member election commission, led by Chief Election Commissioner Professor Amzad Hossain, announced the schedule for the RUCSU election, which is set to be held on 15 September, 2025.
As per the schedule, the code of conduct has already been published, and the draft voter list will be released on 6 August while objections will be accepted and resolved on 7, 10, 11, and 12 August. The final voter list will be published on 14 August.
Nomination papers will be distributed from 17 to 19 August. Submissions will be accepted on 21, 24, and 25 August, while scrutiny of the nomination papers will take place on 27 and 28 August. The preliminary list of candidates will be published on 31 August.
Candidates may withdraw their nominations on 2 September and the final list will be published on 4 September. Finally, polling will be held in all residential halls on 15 September, from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm.
According to the RUCSU constitution, student union elections are to be held annually. However, the process has often been interrupted due to various reasons, mainly the country's political situation. The last RUCSU election took place in the 1989-90 academic year.
In that election, Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) candidate Ruhul Kabir Rizvi Ahmed was elected vice-president (VP), while Chhatra League (JSD) candidate Ruhul Kuddus Babu was elected general secretary (GS).