Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) and Islami Chhatra Shibir panels announced their respective manifestos for Chittagong University Central Students’ Union (CUCSU) elections on Wednesday.
Ensuring safe campus, enabling environment for liberal democratic politics, flourishing of cultural activities, resolving accommodation crisis were among the many promises made in the manifestos of the panels.
Chhatra Shibir held a press conference at the Buddijibi Chattar on campus at 2:30 pm to announce its manifesto. In its 33-point manifesto, the organisation emphasised nine main priorities: resolving the accommodation crisis, ensuring a safe and green campus, strengthening research, improving transportation, eliminating session jams, building a women-friendly campus, ensuring healthy food, automating official tasks, and expanding welfare activities.
At 3:30 pm, at the same venue, the Chhatra Dal-backed panel announced its manifesto. Their manifesto includes eight key points, such as enriching the campus through literary, cultural, sports, and recreational activities, enhancing skills for career development, and creating employment opportunities.
Many students were keenly interested in manifestos of both the organisations. As a result, by evening, many students were seen reading the two documents attentively.
Stating that education and research have been prioritised in the manifesto, Sazzad Hossain said that if elected, the Chhatra Dal-backed panel would introduce an online student portal to manage class schedules, exam results, and other academic and administrative tasks.
Several students told Prothom Alo that the manifestos promised solutions to nearly every existing problem, but questions remain about how much can actually be implemented within a year.
Tawsif Hossain, a second-year economics student, said, “Over the past few days, I’ve seen many candidates’ manifestos. The ones by Chhatra Dal and Chhatra Shibir look almost identical to me.”
Touhidul Islam, a second-year marketing student, expressed doubt about whether such promises could be fulfilled. “All the manifestos seem the same. From what I’ve seen, both panels want to bring structural changes to the university. But I’m sceptical whether all of those can realistically be implemented in just one year.”
Over the past few days, I’ve seen many candidates’ manifestos. The ones by Chhatra Dal and Chhatra Shibir look almost identical to me.Tawsif Hossain, a second-year economics student
Both panels made several promises regarding female students. Sadia Islam, a second-year student in the Islamic History department, said that the promises made for female students shouldn’t remain only on paper. Elected representatives must take these issues seriously.
The CUCSU and hall council elections will be held on 15 October. This will be the first CUCSU election in 35 years. More than 900 students are contesting. The number of panels stands at 13.
Chhatra Dal wants democratic campus
JCD-backed panel’s VP candidate Sazzad Hossain read out the manifesto while the announcement programme was moderated by AGS candidate Aiyubur Rahman.
Sazzad said the manifesto was drafted with the aim of building a liberal, democratic, and safe campus.
We tried to understand students’ concerns through discussions, and based on that, we have outlined eight key commitments, he added.
The promises made for female students shouldn’t remain only on paper. Elected representatives must take these issues seriously.Sadia Islam, a second-year student in the Islamic History department
Stating that education and research have been prioritised in the manifesto, Sazzad Hossain said that if elected, the Chhatra Dal-backed panel would introduce an online student portal to manage class schedules, exam results, and other academic and administrative tasks.
They also pledged to establish MATLAB facilities and ensure access to essential research software. Other promises include modernising the central library, keeping it open until 10:00 pm, creating reading rooms and mini-libraries in every hall, and opening a library branch near gate no. 2 of the campus.
The manifesto also pledged to resolve session jams, introduce open credit and credit transfer systems, and eliminate the administrative building’s culture of procrastination.
It also includes provisions to increase stipends and hall seats for students with special needs, expand the collection of Braille books, and promote inclusive education.
33 reforms in 12 months
The Islami Chhatra Shibir-backed panel, Sampritir Shikkharthi Jote, has announced a plan to implement 33 reforms within 12 months if elected.
Reading out the manifesto, the panel’s VP candidate Md Ibrahim Hossain said, “It may not be possible to implement every item of the manifesto within a year, but we will do our best to achieve as much as we can.”
According to the manifesto, the panel’s first priority will be to address the accommodation crisis. It pledges to compel the university administration to increase dormitory capacity by at least 10 per cent through renovation, extension blocks, and the construction of new tin-shed facilities. It also promises transparency in dormitory seat allocation.
The manifesto includes plans to introduce a food quality rating scale, renovate cafeterias, and regulate prices and standards of food sold at hotels and markets.
To resolve academic complications, the panel promises to eliminate session jams and implement a digital academic calendar. It also commits to ensuring timely exams, prompt publication of results, and digitised registration processes across all departments.
Special emphasis has been placed on women’s safety and facilities. The manifesto pledges maternity leave, the establishment of childcare corners and breastfeeding zones in women’s common rooms, and the construction of women-friendly infrastructure on campus.
Exchange of allegations between student panels
Meanwhile, the Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal has filed a complaint against Islami Chhatra Shibir-backed VP candidate Md Ibrahim Hossain, accusing him of violating the electoral code of conduct.
Around 1:45 pm yesterday, JCD members lodged a written complaint with the election commission, alleging that Ibrahim Hossain conducted campaigning inside classrooms at the Shaheed Hridoy Chandra Tarua Building (New Arts Building).
He allegedly used the classroom sound system for about 20 minutes in Room 323 of the History Department, an act prohibited by election rules.
Later in the evening, Mehedi Hasan Sohan, the Shibir-backed candidate for career development and international relations secretary, submitted a counter-complaint to the election commission.
According to his statement, between 12:30 pm and 1:00 pm yesterday, JCD activist and postgraduate student of the Law Department, Naeem Uddin, entered a first-year class in the Faculty of Law and conducted campaign activities.
He allegedly delivered a promotional speech in favour of JCD’s VP candidate Sazzad Hossain, distributed leaflets, and made provocative remarks against rival panels.
Responding to the matter, the election commission’s member secretary, professor AKM Ariful Haque Siddique, said the issue had been referred to professor Amir Muhammad Nasrullah, head of the code of conduct monitoring committee, for review and necessary action.