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Umama Fatema, vice-president candidate from the Independent Student Unity panel in the Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (DUCSU) hall elections, has demanded that some polling centres be shifted, citing distance as a key concern.
She called for the polling centre for Shamsun Nahar Hall to be relocated to the Atomic Energy Research Institute, and for the polling centres of Bangamata Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib Hall and Bangladesh-Kuwait Maitree Hall to be set at the Institute of Social Welfare and Research, reports bdnews24.com.
In addition, she urged that the polling centres for four halls in the hall-par area be moved to the Faculty of Business Studies (FBS).
Fatema raised the demands at a press conference at Madhur Canteen on Friday.
Earlier in the afternoon, the Election Commission released the list of polling centres.
In a notification, Chief Election Commissioner Prof Md Jasim Uddin announced that students of Dr Muhammad Shahidullah Hall, Amar Ekushey Hall, and Fazlul Huq Muslim Hall will cast their votes at Curzon Hall.
Students of Jagannath Hall, Shaheed Sergeant Zahurul Haque Hall, and Salimullah Muslim Hall will vote at the Physical Education Centre of Dhaka University, while Begum Rokeya Hall’s polling centre will be the Teacher-Student Centre (TSC).
Students of Bangladesh-Kuwait Maitree Hall and Bangamata Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib Hall have been assigned Dhaka University Club as their polling centre.
At the Senate Building, voting will take place for students of Sir AF Rahman Hall, Haji Muhammad Mohsin Hall, and Bijoy Ekattor Hall.
Students of Masterda Surja Sen Hall, Muktijoddha Ziaur Rahman Hall, Kabi Jasimuddin Hall, and Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Hall will vote at Udayan School and College.
Meanwhile, students of Kabi Sufia Kamal Hall will cast their ballots at the Department of Geology. Shamsunnahar Hall’s polling centre has been listed as ULAB School and College.
Umama, however, warned that the existing arrangements would create difficulties for voters.
“The university administration has said it will increase the number of bus trips on polling day and strengthen security at Nilkhet intersection between Bangamata Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib Hall and Kuwait Maitree Hall. But in reality, that intersection is always gridlocked,” she said.
“To make voting easier, I demand that polling centres be changed. Bangamata Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib Hall and Kuwait Maitree Hall’s polling stations should be moved to the Institute of Social Welfare and Research, and Shamsunnahar Hall’s to the Atomic Energy Research Institute.
“Distance is also an issue for the boys’ halls. The polling centres for the hall-par area should be shifted to the Faculty of Business Studies to ensure a higher turnout.”
She criticised the lack of transparency in the 2019 DUCSU election.
“We saw then that the administration failed to publish clear information. Students who had not renewed their hall cards were barred from voting, even if they wanted to. This time I demand that Central ID cards be used to cast ballots. Our main aim is to reduce voter suffering.”
Nusrat Jahan Nisu, contesting for the post of human rights and legal affairs secretary, echoed the call.
“We demand polling centres closer to the halls, beginning with Kuwait Maitree Hall. The administration must also rethink security and increase bus services,” she said.