News Flash
RAJSHAHI, Oct 14, 2025 (BSS) - Full-proof security measures have been taken to ensure peaceful and successful elections to the Rajshahi University Central Students' Union (RUCSU), Hall Councils, and Student Representatives to the Senate.
Sources at Rajshahi University (RU) said that unprecedented security arrangements have been made to ensure the election is held in a free, fair and peaceful manner.
A high-level meeting was held at the university's conference hall on Monday with RU Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Saleh Hassan Naquib in the chair. The meeting discussed ways and means to conduct the elections smoothly.
Pro Vice-Chancellors Prof Dr Mayeen Uddin and Prof Dr Farid Uddin Khan, Treasurer Prof Dr Matiar Rahman, Students Adviser Prof Dr Amirul Islam, Proctor Prof Dr Mahbubur Rahman and Chief Election Commissioner Prof Dr F Nazrul Islam attended the meeting.
Senior officials of law enforcement agencies, including Rajshahi Metropolitan Police (RMP) Commissioner Muhammad Abu Sufian, Additional Commissioner Nazmul Hassan, Commanding Officer of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) Lt Col Hasibul Haque, and RAB-5 Senior ASP Salman Farsi were also present.
The RMP Commissioner informed that a three-tier security system will be deployed during the elections. A total of 2,000 police personnel, 12 platoons of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), and six platoons of BGB will be on duty from October 15 to 17 on the RU campus. RAB and BGB will set up temporary camps on campus.
Polling will be conducted in 990 booths across 17 centres in nine academic buildings, Chief Election Commissioner Prof Dr F Nazrul Islam said.
Vote counting will be carried out using Optical Mark Recognition (OMR) machines, with the entire process displayed live on a giant screen installed in front of the Kazi Nazrul Islam Auditorium to ensure transparency.
The polling will end at 4:00 pm, after which ballot boxes will be brought to the auditorium and segregated into 100 bundles based on colour codes. Each bundle will be inserted into the OMR machine for counting.
An expert team will supervise the entire process, which will be conducted in three phases for each hall. The results from all 17 halls are expected within 14 to 16 hours of counting.
Journalists will be allowed to report live from the auditorium during the counting process. "Technology-based initiatives have been adopted to ensure transparency and eliminate flaws," Prof Nazrul Islam added.
All preparations have been completed to hold the election on October 16 peacefully, he said.
A total of 28,905 students - 17,600 from 11 male halls and 11,305 from six female halls - are eligible to vote.
Chief Returning Officer Prof Dr Setaur Rahman said 903 candidates are contesting the elections: 248 for RUCSU, 597 for Hall Councils, and 58 for Senate seats.
In the RUCSU polls, 18 candidates are vying for Vice-President (VP), 13 for General Secretary (GS), and 16 for Assistant General Secretary (AGS). For the Hall Councils, 61 are contesting for VP, 58 for GS, and 57 for AGS. In six female halls, 16 candidates each are contesting for VP and GS, and 15 for AGS.
A total of 11 student panels are participating in the RUCSU, Hall Councils, and Senate elections.
Speaking at the meeting, RU Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Saleh Hassan Naquib said successful conduct of the RUCSU polls is the top priority of the current administration.
"Holding the student election is much easier if all teachers, students, officers, and employees work together," he said.
He added that the election is being held after overcoming all kinds of obstacles. "The Election Commission, Returning Officers, and candidates are preparing with utmost sincerity," he said.
"We will restore the university's democratic tradition by holding this election successfully and move the university forward," the VC said.
He noted that the RUCSU election is being held after a long gap of 35 years. "We are organising this poll after breaking a longstanding deadlock and overcoming various challenges," he added.
All, including the university administration and students, are eagerly awaiting the election, Prof Naquib said, expressing hope that a level playing field will remain intact throughout the process.
