CUCSU election: Non-residential students to decide the outcome

Shahriar Fazal, a student at the University of Chittagong, lives in Chawkbazar, Chattogram city. Every morning, he rushes to the Sholoshahar station to catch the shuttle train to campus and returns in the afternoon after classes.

But this time, Shahriar’s daily routine carries a different excitement because of the upcoming Chittagong University Central Students’ Union (CUCSU) election.

“I never thought I’d get the chance to vote in a CUCSU election,” said the first-year economics student. “At least I’ll witness one major event before finishing my studies.”

In this year’s CUCSU and hall union elections, non-residential students, those living outside the university dormitories, are emerging as the deciding factor. Those students plan to travel back to campus on election day, by shuttle train, bus, or hired auto-rickshaws, to cast their votes.

The university currently has 28,515 students, but the 14 residential halls have only 6,369 seats. With overcrowding, around 9,000 students manage to live in halls. Another 5,000 reside in nearby cottages or messes, while 10,000–11,000 live across Chattogram city for studies, tuition or family reasons.

Candidates believe that whichever panel wins the votes of these city-based students will have the upper hand.

This correspondent spoke to 40 students who reside in the city. All of them expressed their intent to vote on campus. They expect a festive election atmosphere, though some voiced concern over transport shortage and security on polling day.

Mushfiqul Kader, a second-year economics student who commutes from the city, said, “The campus will probably be overcrowded on election day, but I’ll go to vote anyway. I just hope the authorities will ensure additional transport for students.”

There are 27,518 registered voters for this election, with 16,084 male and 11,329 female. Data shows that at least 10,000–11,000 students regularly travel from the city, making them a key constituency for all competing panels.

If all goes according to plan, the seventh CUCSU election will take place on 15 October, the first in 35 years. Anticipation among students is high. Over 900 candidates are contesting across 13 panels, and campaigns to win over non-residential voters have become particularly intense.

Vice-president candidate Sazzad Hossain from the Chhatra Dal panel said, “We’ve been reaching out to non-residential students since day one. Whether they would come to vote is the central question. But if we can get their attention, the results could swing overnight.”

Two pairs of shuttle trains currently make 18 trips daily between the city and campus — the main mode of transport for most students.

Dhrubo Barua, vice-president candidate from the ‘Boichitrer Oikya’ (Unity in Diversity) panel, said, “Those who travel by shuttle train every day form a massive vote bank. City-based voters can easily change the outcome of this election.”

Many city students said they plan to stay overnight in friends’ messes near campus before voting, while others intend to travel together by train. The election commission has assured that security will be tightened and that hourly shuttle trains will run on polling day.

About 16 kilometres away from the campus, the Sholoshahar railway station, the lifeline for CU students, has turned into a campaign hub. The area’s shops and tea stalls now buzz with election chatter every evening. Candidates’ posters and banners hang across the station premises, and many are seen campaigning there in sync with train schedules.

Ibrahim Hossain, vice-president candidate backed by the Islami Chhatra Shibir-supported panel, said, “Thousands of students pass through Sholoshahar every day. You can reach a large number of voters at once here. I’ve been campaigning regularly and getting a positive response.”

The left-leaning Droho Parishad panel has focused its campaign on addressing off-campus students’ problems.

Its VP candidate Riju Lakshmi Abarodh said, “Even after all these years, the university administration could not resolve the housing crisis. Most students are forced to live in rented rooms or cottages. These are real issues we’re talking about with voters.”

The number of students has doubled in the past 25 years, with many new departments added, but transport facilities have not kept pace. Thousands still travel in overcrowded trains daily.

Candidates across panels have pledged to push the administration to expand transport facilities if elected.

For the first time in the university’s history, non-residential voters have become a major discussion point.

In the 1990 election, the total number of voters was 10,526, and non-residential students were far fewer.

Associate Professor Md. Bakhtiar Uddin of the Department of Political Science said, “A large portion of our students now live off-campus. Whichever panel wins their support will likely take the lead. That’s why their welfare must feature prominently in every candidate’s manifesto.”