JCD activists storm into senate building, labels DU VC 'Jamaat-backed administration'

Some leaders and activists of BNP's student wing Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) stormed the Senate Building, confronted Dhaka University (DU) Vice Chancellor Prof Niaz Ahmed Khan and accused the current administration being a 'Jamaat-backed administration'.

They also raised slogans inside the meeting hall, creating chaos, and alleging that members of Jamaat-e-Islami’s student wing, Islami Chhatra Shibir, had been mobilized around the campus to influence the polls.

When the vice chancellor responded that action had already been taken, JCD leaders rejected his explanation. At one point, DU JCD president Ganesh Chandra Roy slammed the table and directly accused the VC of leading a “Jamaat administration.” 

In reply, Prof Khan denied any political affiliation, saying he had never been involved in party politics.

JCD central president Rakibul Islam Rakib declared, “From today, we officially recognize you as a Jamaat-backed administration. If you fail to take action against the irregulation, we will withdraw all cooperation with you.”

Earlier in the day, after polls closed, JCD’s vice president candidate Abidul Islam Khan alleged widespread irregularities. Speaking at a press conference, he claimed to have witnessed evidence of vote rigging at Amar Ekushey Hall and received similar complaints from Rokeya Hall.

“Since morning, our polling agents were obstructed from entering centers. Even distributing our panel’s code numbers was blocked, while Shibir activists faced no restrictions. A hall election officer even threatened to cancel one of our candidate’s studentship for handing out ballot codes,” Abidul said.

He also accused mainstream media of initially spreading false propaganda against him before later issuing corrections. “We have filed a written complaint with the election authorities,” he added, warning that the credibility of the election was under serious doubt.