Chhatradal, Shibir, Bagchash Candidates Bypass Merit List for Special Quota

Even without making the merit list, leaders and activists of Chatra Dal, Islami Shibir, Bagchash and other student organisations, along with general students, are staying in various residential halls of Chittagong University (CU) under the administration's special consideration. Many of them have also become candidates for the upcoming CUCSU and hall parliament elections. Recently, discussions and criticisms over this have been circulating on social media. However, the university administration has stated that as per university rules, provision exists in each hall to allocate seats to a few students under special consideration. In this regard, without considering the students' political identity, priority has been given to the distance from their homes and financial incapacity, and they have received seats in the residential halls just like general students through 'special consideration'.

In the seat allocation of Suhrawardy Hall, Abrar Farabi, CU hall president and VP candidate of Bangladesh Islami Chhatra Shibir; Jomadiul Awal Sujat, VP candidate in the hall parliament supported by Chatra Dal; Mahfuzur Rahman, Bagchash leader and VP candidate in the central parliament; and Md. Javed, editor of the library and cafeteria of the panel supported by Chatra Dal, are staying in the hall under special consideration despite not being on the merit list. Besides, in every hall of the university, leaders of student organisations affiliated with political parties, along with general students, are staying in the halls under special consideration due to financial or other problems.

When asked, Abrar Farabi said, I moved into the hall in February this year on a senior brother's seat. He was not staying in the hall, so I stayed on his seat. Subsequently, last month, since the brother no longer had student status in the latest allotment, his seat was cancelled. As a result, my stay on that seat also became invalid. Later, when I informed the hall provost sir about my financial incapacity and my various activities in the hall, he allowed me to stay under special consideration.

He further said, My master's exams will end in the next two-three months. Mainly, I applied to stay in the hall during this time. The hall provost has also given permission. It was not due to any political identity, but as a suffering student that I was granted permission. I am not staying in the hall illegally.

Mahfuzur Rahman, central joint-convener of Bagchash and independent VP candidate in CUCSU, who is staying in the same hall under special consideration, said, In every hall, the provost has 10 seats at hand during seat allocation. In the time following the movement, when seats were allocated in the halls, the administration had ruled that a few seats under special consideration would be allocated for students who were active in the movement, got injured, and are in financial distress. During seat allocation, since my junior brother from the department, Mashur, who was injured in the movement, was not there, I took the seat in my name. Now he stays on the seat, I stay in the city. However, due to election-centred busyness, I have been staying on that seat for a few days.

Jomadiul Awal Sujat, Chatra Dal's VP candidate in the hall parliament staying in Suhrawardy Hall under special consideration, said, I am doing doubling on one seat with the administration's permission. However, it is known that only he is staying on that seat under special consideration. The other person had received the first allotment after the uprising. But due to proven allegations of Chhatra League involvement and misconduct, the students evicted him from the hall. Later, Sujat is staying on that seat under special consideration. Meanwhile, there are also allegations that he previously engaged in politics of Chhatra League's CFC group.

Another Chatra Dal leader and central parliament library editor Md. Javed said, There was a slight issue with my marksheet CGPA. Later, after correcting the marksheet, I moved into the hall as a doubler with the permission of Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Administration) Dr. Kamal sir. The senior with whom I was doubling has left, so now I stay alone. However, he could not say the name-session of the senior he was doubling with.

On this matter, Suhrawardy Hall Provost Prof. Md. Abdul Mannan said, 10 seats are allocated considering financial insolvency or distance from home based on students' applications. Here, seats have not been given looking at any political identity. Those who applied as per rules have been legitimately given seats under special consideration.

It is notable that although it is said to be a full-fledged residential university since its inception, in 60 years, accommodation has been provided to only 23 percent of students. Out of the university's 28,000 students, around 7,000 get the opportunity to stay in residential halls. The rest of the students stay in cottages, rented houses and in the city around the university.