SUCSU Election Suspended
BNP-leaning teachers resign from commission, High Court stays SUCSU elections
The High Court has stayed the elections for the Shahjalal University Central Students' Union (SUCSU) and hall unions at Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST) in Sylhet. The voting for the SUCSU elections was originally scheduled to take place tomorrow, Tuesday (January 20).
On Monday (January 19), a High Court bench comprising Justice Fahmida Quader and Justice Md. Asif Hasan delivered the stay order. The court issued the directive for a period of four weeks following a writ petition.
Resignations from Election Commission
In a separate but related blow to the election process, eight BNP-leaning teachers resigned from the SUST Election Commission just one day before the scheduled polls. The teachers submitted their resignation letters citing their inability to perform duties due to various irregularities and the behavior of the university administration.
The matter was confirmed by Professor Dr. Ashraf Uddin, President of the Nationalist Teachers' Forum, during a press conference held at 12:00 PM today on the ground floor of the New Social Science Building.
“We are not performing our duties in this election. We call upon others not to perform their duties as well,” said Dr. Ashraf Uddin. He further noted, “We are embarrassed by the administration's behavior. We have informed the Vice-Chancellor whether he intends to hold the election under these circumstances. Conducting the election requires about 200 teachers; those who align with our views will also withdraw.”
Background of the Crisis
The stay order comes amid intense student protests on campus and parallel demonstrations by the Bangladesh Jatiotabadi Chatra Dal in Dhaka. The legal challenge was initiated by an independent candidate who argued that holding university polls is contradictory to the Election Commission’s directive to halt all local and internal elections ahead of the 13th National Parliamentary Election.
With both a judicial stay and a shortage of presiding staff due to the teachers' walkout, the highly anticipated SUCSU election—which was to be held after decades—now faces an indefinite delay.
More updates to follow...
