BNP: Ducsu polls also tainted by midnight ballot box stuffing

BNP has alleged that the much-delayed Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (Ducsu) polls have been tainted by overnight ballot stuffing; as had happened on the night of December 29, right before the 11th general election.

Speaking at a press conference, BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi also alleged that Dhaka University authorities have been working to ensure the victory of ruling party’s student body, Chhatra League, in the polls.

“The university authorities were not able to distance themselves from the culture of midnight voting as seen on December 29. Ducsu polls have now been tainted by the stuffing of ballot boxes since a sack of stamped ballots was found at Maitree Hall,” the BNP leader said.

He furthered: “People doubt whether the Ducsu polls are being held as per the government’s blueprint. The university has so far been taking all the steps to ensure the victory of Chhatra League in an illegal manner.”

The voting in the long-overdue election of the Ducsu and its hall unions began at 8am in the morning.

The last election to Ducsu was held on July 6, 1990. For the last 28 years, Dhaka University students could not vote for their representatives as the election process had been halted.

Rizvi alleged that they have information about how the police is playing a negative role on campus so that common students and supporters of opposition student organizations are unable to cast their votes.

“Chhatra League cadres are staging showdowns at different halls by bringing them under their control and terrorizing the general students.”

He also claimed that people are increasingly doubting the validity of the Ducsu results as pro-opposition teachers have not been engaged in election duties.

According to the BNP leader, the university authorities imposed various restrictions on journalists in gathering information during the voting.