Published :
Updated :
For all latest news, follow The Financial Express Google News channel.
Several people involved in the protracted vote-counting process for the Jahangirnagar University Central Students’ Union (JUCSU) election have fallen ill, according to the chief election commissioner.
Speaking to reporters at the university's Senate building on Saturday, Prof Md Moniruzzaman said that medical arrangements had been made in advance in anticipation of such situations, reports bdnews24.com.
“Yesterday, we lost a respected teacher. Today, several people have become unwell. That’s why we had taken precautions in advance, arranging doctors from our medical centre,” he said.
“Those who felt unwell, even slightly, have received treatment. They are now doing fine.”
Moniruzzaman said those who had fallen sick were being given time to rest, with other teachers and officials stepping in to continue the counting.
Around noon, Election Commissioner Prof Lutful Elahi expressed hope that the results could be declared by early afternoon. But shortly afterwards, Prof Moniruzzaman pushed the timeline back, saying: “We hope we can prepare the results and announce them by 7pm.”
Asked why the process was taking so long, Moniruzzaman pointed to inexperience and the decision not to use machines for the count.
The extended count follows the death of Jannatul Ferdous, an assistant professor of fine arts, who collapsed on Friday morning while on duty at the Senate building and was declared dead in a hospital.
More than 43 hours have now passed since voting ended.
On Friday evening, the chief election commissioner had told reporters at the university’s Senate building that results would be declared by the end of the night.
But a visit to the Senate building on Saturday morning showed that even after a night of non-stop counting, the process was still ongoing.
Voting began across 21 halls of the 12,000-strong campus at 9:00 am on Thursday. Polls in most halls closed by 5 pm, but long queues meant voting continued until 7:30 pm in two or three.
Counting began under tight security at the Senate building after 10 pm that night. Officials said turnout was around 68 per cent.