High Court Halts SUST Student Union Polls Amid Resignations and Protests

The High Court has suspended the Shahjalal University of Science and Technology Central Students' Union (SUCSU) and hall union elections for four weeks, just a day before the scheduled vote.

The order was issued today (19 January) by the bench of Justice Fahmida Kader and Justice Md Asif Hasan following a writ petition filed by independent vice-president candidate Mominur Rashid Shuvo and two other students.

The petitioners argued that the election is unlawful because the Election Commission had previously directed a halt to all polls ahead of the upcoming national parliamentary elections.

The campus was already in turmoil before the court order. Earlier today, eight BNP-leaning teachers resigned from the SUST Election Commission, citing administrative irregularities and a lack of consultation with the university syndicate.

Professor Dr. Ashraf Uddin, president of the Jatiyatabadi Teachers' Forum, expressed embarrassment over the administration's conduct, alleging that teachers were unfairly labeled as "conspirators" for demanding a transparent process.

Panels backed by Islami Chhatra Shibir staged demonstrations demanding the election be held on time, calling the legal hurdles a conspiracy to block democratic rights. Members of the Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal continued a sit-in at the Election Commission building in Dhaka, labeling the SUCSU election gazette "controversial" and influenced by specific political interests.

Despite the party sit-in, Chhatra Dal-backed VP candidate Mostakim Billah had earlier insisted on holding the polls as scheduled.

Prior to the suspension, a total of 97 candidates were set to compete for 23 central posts and various hall union positions, Vice-President: 4 candidates, General Secretary: 7 candidates, Assistant General Secretary: 4 candidates.