Chhatra Dal besiege Election Commission over three key demands

Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal, the student wing of BNP, has laid siege to the Election Commission headquarters in Agargaon since Sunday morning, staging a sit-in protest over what they call blatant partisan conduct by the EC.

The demonstration, which began around 11:30 am, continues as thousands of Chhatra Dal leaders and activists from various educational institutions surround the EC building, chanting slogans against the commission.

Central President Rakibul Islam Rakib and General Secretary Nasir Uddin Nasir are leading the protest.

Speaking at the programme, President Rakibul Islam Rakib accused the Election Commission of working to extend the influence of a specific political party, particularly through irregularities in postal ballots.

"Our main demand is regarding the postal ballot fraud. Everything has been done with the direct patronage of this commission to favour one particular party," Rakib said.

He further alleged that the EC played a similar humiliating role against Chhatra Dal in the student union elections at both Jagannath University and Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST).

The three specific demands of Chhatra Dal are:

1. Immediate withdrawal of the biased and highly questionable decisions regarding postal ballots that have seriously undermined public trust in the neutrality of the electoral process.

2. An end to the Commission's practice of taking stubborn, short-sighted, and politically motivated decisions under pressure from a particular political quarter instead of acting independently and professionally.

3. Withdrawal of the unprecedented and controversial EC notification issued in the SUST student union election under direct political interference – an act seen as a dangerous assault on campus democracy.

Chhatra Dal leaders announced they will submit a memorandum and a mass signature campaign to the Election Commission shortly.

Meanwhile, the final day of appeal hearings against the returning officers’ decisions on nomination paper scrutiny is underway inside the same building. 

Today, appeals numbered 611 to 645 are being heard under Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin.

Confirming the siege, Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Police Station OC Mohammad Monirul Islam told media around noon, "Chhatra Dal activists have been surrounding the Election Commission building since morning. Police are present at the spot. The programme is peaceful so far, with leaders delivering speeches."

The protest remains ongoing at the time of filing this report.