SUCSU Poll Proceeds, Pledge Proposal Sparks Protest

The Election Commission (EC) has assured that the Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST) Central Students’ Union (SUCSU) election in Sylhet will be held on schedule. However, candidates from each panel have been asked to sign a written pledge agreeing to three specific conditions—a proposal that protesting students have outright rejected.

The matter was confirmed at around 8:00 pm on Tuesday, January 13, by SUST Acting Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr Md Sajedul Karim while addressing protesting students in front of Administrative Building-1 on the campus.

According to the acting vice-chancellor, the proposed pledge includes three conditions:

First, that the SUCSU election has no connection with the national election;
Second, that the SUCSU election will not create any adverse impact on the national election; and
Third, that there will be no deterioration of the law-and-order situation during or after the SUCSU election.

He added that candidates who sign the pledge would have to include their name, mobile phone number, the post they are contesting for in SUCSU, along with their signature.

Protesting students, however, rejected the proposal to sign any such pledge. They stated that while they are willing to verbally assure their cooperation with the university administration, they will not sign any written undertaking.

Delwar Hossain Shishir, vice-presidential candidate of the Islami Chhatra Shibir-backed “Durbar SUSTian Oikya” panel, said, “Do not try to trap us with such conditions, whether before or after the election. If necessary, let the administration sign such commitments themselves, or reopen discussions with the Election Commission to cancel the requirement of signing any pledge.”