‘I cast my first ballot and became part of history,’ says student voter at RUCSU polls

Students casting their ballots in the Rajshahi University Central Student Union (RUCSU) polls are not only getting their first chance to elect representatives at their educational institution, for many of them it is also the first time in their lives they are exercising their right to vote.

On Thursday morning, students lined up excitedly to vote in the university polls for the RUCSU, hall councils, and Senate representatives. Showing the indelible ink on their fingers, they said they had a "feeling of being part of history."

After three and a half decades, the 17th RUCSU elections began at 9am. Voter turnout increased at polling stations from 10am onwards. Students could be seen chatting in front of the polling stations. Voting will continue until 4pm without any break.

Abu Hurayra Kabya, a first-year student of the Department of Mass Communication and Journalism, cast the first vote of his life in the polls.

Expressing his excitement, Kabya told bdnews24.com: "I am voting in the RUCSU elections for the first time at Rajshahi University, and there is a different kind of excitement.”

"Being able to be part of this democratic practice after a long time is not only a student's responsibility, but also a matter of pride. Every spot on the ballot reflects one's own opinions, beliefs, and hopes for the future. This experience reminds us that change begins with participation."

Abu Hena Shakil, a student of the Department of Social Work Department, said: "Not only did I vote in the RUCSU elections, but it was also the first vote of my life. It's a different kind of joy."

Afrin Jahan Asha, a first-year student of the Islamic Studies Department, also cast her first vote in the RUCSU elections.

She said, "I've never voted before. This is my first time voting. I'm very happy about it."

“The thought of being able to cast my vote on the campus gives me a goosebump. We have heard stories about RUCSU from seniors, and now it’s being revived and I am a witness. This is a new chorus and we can find our voices in it.”

Mithun Ahmed, another first-year student, said he was so exuberant, he forgot who he wanted to vote for after entering the polling station.

The student says, “I was very excited to vote. But I forgot the names of the candidates when I entered the polling station.”

“It wasn’t possible to remember the names of candidates for 43 posts. I voted for those posts I remembered the names for.”

A total of 305 candidates are contesting for 23 positions in RUCSU. Of them, about 29,000 voters will cast their votes to choose their representatives. The election of student representatives in hall councils and the Senate is also being held simultaneously.

VOTE INFORMATION

>> Voting will continue from 9am to 4pm at 17 poll centres in nine buildings.

>> The results of the vote will be announced at the Kazi Nazrul Islam Auditorium after voting ends

>> A total of 28,901 voters will cast their ballots in the polls. Of them, 11,305 are women and 17,596 are men.

>> Three hundred and five candidates are vying for the 23 posts in the RUCSU elections.

>> As many as 555 aspirants are running for the 255 posts in 17 hall unions and 58 for the five Senate student representative posts.

>> At least 212 teachers and officials of the university will serve as presiding officers, assistant presiding officers and polling officers.

HOW TO VOTE

Election Commissioner Prof Mustafa Kamal Akando said that entering the centre, a voter will receive six ballot papers after signing a sheet in the presence of a polling officer. The ballots should be taken to the secret booths, filled up and then put inside a transparent ballot box.

The first ballot paper will contain the list of candidates for vice president (VP), general secretary (GS), and assistant general secretary (AGS).

The second, third, and fourth ballots contain the names of various secretarial candidates. The fifth ballot contains the names of the candidates for the student representative position in the Senate. And the sixth ballot contains the names of the candidates for the hall councils.