By Md Aynal Haque

RAJSHAHI, Aug 4, 2025 (BSS)- After over three decades, Rajshahi University (RU) Students are going to get back their representative rights as the election to Rajshahi University Central Students Union (RUCSU) is going to be held after a long gap of 35 years.

Already, the necessary preparations for holding the election are going on in full-swing.
According to the announced schedule, the election will be held on September 15. 
 
Welcoming the schedule, the students said that this is not only an election but also a big opportunity to start democratic practice again. On one hand, the students will represent themselves and the prospect of establishing an effective students union after a long deadlock will emerge on the other hand. 

The RUCSU began its journey in 1961 aimed at realising students' rights, leadership development and an organizational platform to discuss with the administration. 

However, no RUCSU election was held after 1989. Student violence, organizational chaos and reluctance of the administration were said to be the major reasons behind the deadlock, making the RUCSU ineffective. 

"None was for us to solve our problems and there were no means of going to anyone for solving our academic jam, food and accommodation problems," said Faria Rahman, a student of the Department of Sociology. She hoped that the upcoming RUCSU will benefit them a lot.

Anwar Hossain, a student of the Department of Political Sciences, said “There were organizations of all stakeholders in the campus in the past but unfortunately students have no representative body. Our problems will be solved through the upcoming election" he hoped.   

The RU administration has been giving utmost emphasis to hold the election successfully. All sorts of necessary measures for conducting and maintaining rules and regulations, code of conduct, voter list, nomination paper submission, campaign and security strictly and transparently.

"This commission is a strong commission. We are not influenced by anyone," said Prof Amzad Hossain, Chief Commissioner of RUCSU election, adding that they are working relentlessly to make the election successful.  
 
Meanwhile, the code of conduct for the elections of RUCSU, hall unions, and student representatives in the university senate was published on the university website Thursday last.
 
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 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 July 28 (Monday),  a seven-member election commission, led by Chief Election Commissioner Prof Amzad Hossain, announced the schedule for the RUCSU election, which is set to be held on September 15, 2025.
 
As per the schedule, the code of conduct has already been published, and the draft voter list will be released on August 6 and objections will be accepted and resolved on August 7, 10, 11, and 12. The final voter list will be published on August 14.
 
Nomination papers will be distributed from August 17 to 19. Submissions will be accepted on August 21, 24, and 25, while scrutiny of the nomination papers will take place on August 27 and 28. The preliminary list of candidates will be published on August 31. Candidates may withdraw their nominations on September 2. The final list will be published on September 4.
 
Polling will be held in all residential halls on September 15, 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.