Students’ wing of BNP threatens overnight siege of Election Commission if demands ignored

The Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD), the student wing of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), has been staging a sit-in programme in front of the Election Commission (EC) headquarters in Agargaon, Dhaka, protesting what it describes as irregularities in the symbol layout on postal ballots sent to expatriate voters, along with several other issues.

Leaders of the organisation warned that if their demands are not met, they will lay siege to the Election Commission and continue an overnight demonstration at the premises.

From Sunday morning (18 January), leaders and activists gathered in front of the EC office under the leadership of JCD Central President Rakibul Islam Rakib. During the programme, they alleged that the postal ballots sent abroad were folded in a manner that concealed the ‘Sheaf of Paddy’ symbol when the ballot was opened, while another symbol became visible first upon unfolding. They claimed this raised serious questions about the transparency and neutrality of the electoral process.

Addressing the demonstrators, JCD President Rakibul Islam Rakib said the arrangement of symbols on the postal ballots was by no means accidental, calling it a “planned conspiracy.” He also termed the Election Commission’s recent notification regarding the Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST) student union election as unprecedented and controversial. According to him, the decision was taken under political influence and poses a serious threat to the democratic environment of the university. He warned that the movement would intensify if logical explanations were not provided for these decisions.

He further stated that if their demands are not accepted, the sit-in in front of the Election Commission office would continue day and night.
Dhaka Metropolitan East Chhatra Dal General Secretary Abdul Hannan Majumder alleged that serious irregularities had been committed in the handling of postal ballots. He questioned how approval for a student union election was granted ahead of a national election and said the Election Commission must answer this. He announced that the programme would continue until their demands are fulfilled.

Chhatra Dal leaders said their movement is centred on three key demands. These are: first, withdrawal of what they termed the Election Commission’s biased and questionable decisions regarding postal ballots and ensuring neutrality; second, upholding the Commission’s independence and professionalism by resisting pressure from any particular political group and taking responsible decisions; and third, cancellation of the controversial notification on the Shahjalal University of Science and Technology student union election, which they claim was issued due to political interference.

During the programme, Chhatra Dal activists chanted various slogans protesting the role of the Election Commission and called for the immediate implementation of their demands.