Protests Erupt in Dhaka: Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal Accuses Election Commission of Bias

Protest Against Election Commission in Dhaka

Dhaka: On Sunday, members of the Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) organized a sit-in outside the Bangladesh Election Commission's headquarters in Agargaon, Dhaka. They accused the commission of partiality regarding postal ballots and the outcomes of student union elections, as reported by local news outlets.

The JCD is a student organization linked to the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP).

Starting at 10 a.m., the protest drew attention from various media, including The Daily Star.

During the demonstration, JCD President Rakibul Islam stated, "It is evident that a particular political faction has influenced the handling of ballot papers, and the Election Commission must have been aware of this. These actions occurred with their direct involvement and support."

Rakibul further claimed that similar biases were evident in student union elections, particularly concerning the upcoming central student union and hall elections at Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST) and recent elections at Jagannath University.

"We are being systematically undermined in these instances, with the Election Commission playing a significant role," he added, highlighting the sway of a specific political party's student wing.

The JCD articulated three main demands during their protest: an end to what they described as the Election Commission's biased decisions regarding postal ballots, a halt to politically motivated "rash decisions," and the retraction of a controversial order concerning the SUST student union elections.

On January 15, the Election Commission approved SUST's student and hall union elections, scheduled for January 20.

On January 9, the BNP expressed grave concerns regarding the law and order situation in the country as the February elections approach, criticizing the performance of law enforcement under the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus, according to local media.

"The alarming rate of political leaders being killed, especially those from our party, is deeply concerning," stated BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir during a press briefing at his residence in Thakurgaon district, as reported by UNB.

"We have condemned these killings, yet the government has taken no action. We urge the authorities to act responsibly and prevent such occurrences during the elections," he concluded.