Shibir backed panel wins majority

Staff Reporter :

The Rajshahi University Central Students’ Union (RUCSU) elections concluded on Friday with key victories for candidates backed by Islami Chhatra Shibir, alongside a notable win for a former student activist in the General Secretary race.

Mostakur Rahman (Zahid), the Vice President (VP) candidate from the Sammilito Shikkharthi Jote panel supported by Shibir, has been unofficially elected VP after securing 12,687 votes.

His closest rival, Sheikh Nur Uddin (Abir) of the Oikya Notun Projonmo panel backed by Chhatra Dal, received 3,397 votes.

In the General Secretary (GS) race, Salauddin Ammar of the Adhipotyobirodhi Oikya panel won decisively with 11,497 votes.

Ammar, a former coordinator of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, defeated Fazle Rabbi Md. Fahim Reza, the Shibir-backed candidate, who garnered 5,727 votes.

The Assistant General Secretary (AGS) post went to SM Salman Sabbir of the Shibir-backed panel, who received 6,975 votes, narrowly defeating Jahin Biswas (Esha) of the Chhatra Dal-supported panel, who obtained 5,951 votes.

Chief Returning Officer Professor Setaur Rahman announced the results around 8:00 a.m., though the official declaration is still pending.

The elections saw robust participation, with 247 candidates contesting 23 posts in RUCSU across 10 panels, 597 candidates vying for 15 hall union positions in 17 residential halls, and 58 candidates competing for five Senate student representative seats. Specifically, 18 candidates contested for VP, 13 for GS, and 16 for AGS.

A total of 28,901 students were registered to vote, including 11,305 female and 17,596 male students. The overall voter turnout was 69.83 percent, with 63.24 percent turnout recorded across the six women’s halls.

The elections mark another significant moment in Rajshahi University’s vibrant campus politics, reflecting the continuing influence of established student organizations alongside independent activist groups.