Ballot Printing Location or Quantity Does Not Affect Fair Elections: DU VC

Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. Niaz Ahmed Khan stated that the location or quantity of ballot printing does not impact the fairness of elections, as multiple secure steps ensure ballots are ready for voting.

The DU Central Students' Union (DUCSU) and hall union elections were held on September 9 after a long hiatus, with Islami Chhatra Shibir candidates winning most positions.

Since election day, panels backed by Chhatra Dal, BAGCHAS, left-wing groups, and some independents have alleged rigging and bias, including unprotected ballot printing in Nilkhet, sparking renewed discussions. Addressing these in a press conference at the Abdul Matin Chowdhury Virtual Classroom in the administrative building at 11:00 AM today, the VC clarified the issues.

In a written statement, he explained that a competitive tender awarded the printing to an experienced firm, which involved an associate vendor without informing the university about Nilkhet. The associate reportedly printed 88,000 ballots on 22 reams in Nilkhet, finalizing 86,243 after printing, cutting, and pre-scanning, destroying extras per protocol.

The VC noted the associate completed pre-scanning at their main office, ensuring maximum security per contract, but admitted forgetting to inform due to busyness. He emphasized that printing site or volume doesn't affect fairness, as ballots require sizing, security coding, OMR pre-scanning, and signatures from the Chief Returning Officer and center officers to be vote-ready, all done with due diligence.

On ballot counts: 2,39,244 prepared (6 per 39,874 voters); 1,78,926 used by 29,821 voters; 60,318 remaining. Regarding CCTV footage and voter signature lists, the VC reiterated that specific requests for footage or signatures can be viewed under supervised conditions at a designated location.

Finally, after consulting lawyers, he added that specific, justified requests for signature verification can be accommodated under expert supervision.