SUCSU Polls Stayed; University Files Appeal

The High Court has ordered a four-week suspension of the Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST) Central Students’ Union (SUCSU) and hall council elections. Challenging the order, the university administration has filed an application with the Chamber Judge’s Court of the Appellate Division, seeking a stay on the High Court’s directive.

The application was submitted on Monday, January 19, in the afternoon. Confirming the development, Advocate Md. Saddam Hossain said, “The application will be heard in due course.”

The SUCSU election was scheduled to be held on Tuesday, January 20. However, on Monday afternoon, a High Court bench comprising Justice Fahmida Kader and Justice Md. Asif Hasan ordered the suspension of both the SUCSU and hall council elections for four weeks—just a day before polling was set to take place.

During the hearing of the writ petition, Barrister Ruhul Quddus Kajol, Barrister Roshna Imam, and Barrister Moniruzzaman Asad represented the petitioners, while Advocate Mohammad Hossain Lipu, assisted by Advocate Md. Saddam Hossain, appeared for the university. Additional Attorney General Anik R Haque represented the state.

Following the ruling, Barrister Roshna Imam said the High Court had stayed the approval granted by the Election Commission for the SUCSU polls for four weeks. “As a result, the SUCSU election will not be held tomorrow. The election may be held on any day after the four-week period,” she added.

Meanwhile, in response to the High Court’s order, students staged protest demonstrations on campus on Monday afternoon, chanting slogans demanding that the SUCSU election be held as scheduled on January 20. The protesters also called for the withdrawal of the court order suspending the election.

Earlier, on Sunday, January 18, independent SUCSU candidate Mominur Rashid Shuvo had filed the writ petition with the High Court seeking a suspension of the SUCSU and hall council elections.

DBTech/NDC/EK/OR