Highlights
- DU VC Prof. Niaz Ahmad Khan addressed allegations about ballot printing in Nilkhet.
- He clarified ballots were printed under proper tender process and security.
- 2,39,244 ballots were prepared; 1,78,926 were used, and 60,318 remained unused.
- VC said ballot printing location does not affect the fairness of the election.
- CCTV footage and signed voter lists can be reviewed by candidates under due process.
Allegations Over Ballot Printing
Reports and allegations arose regarding the place and number of ballots printed for the Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (DUCSU) and hall union elections.
On September 28, DU Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Niaz Ahmad Khan held a press conference at the Abdul Matin Chowdhury Virtual Classroom to explain the situation.
Ballots Printed Under Tender Process
In his written statement, the VC said that an experienced company was selected through a competitive tender to print the ballots. Later, to meet the large demand on time, an associate company was allowed to assist under the same tender.
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Printing in Nilkhet Without Prior Notice
Niaz Ahmad Khan said the university authorities were not informed beforehand about the ballots being printed in Nilkhet. The associate vendor admitted they printed 88,000 ballots with 22 reams of paper, later processed and finalized into 86,243 usable ballots. Extra ballots were destroyed in the usual process.
The vendor also explained that after printing and cutting in Nilkhet, ballots were taken to their main office for pre-scanning, sealing, and delivery to DU with maximum security. They admitted failing to inform authorities due to workload.
VC: Printing Location Does Not Affect Election
Prof. Niaz Ahmad Khan explained that ballot printing alone does not impact the election outcome because several steps are needed before ballots become valid.
“এটা পরিস্কারভাবে অনুধাবনযোগ্য যে, ব্যালট পেপার ছাপানোর স্থান বা সংখ্যা সুষ্ঠু নির্বাচনকে কোনো ভাবে প্রভাবিত করে না।”
Translation: “It is clearly understandable that the place or number of ballot printing does not affect a fair election in any way.”
He detailed the process of cutting, adding security codes, pre-scanning through OMR machines, and requiring signatures and seals from election officials before ballots are valid.
Ballot Count and Usage
The VC shared the ballot statistics:
- Total prepared: 2,39,244
- Total voters: 39,874 (6 ballots per voter)
- Ballots used: 1,78,926
- Ballots remaining: 60,318
CCTV Footage and Signed Voter Lists
Responding to student demands, the VC said CCTV footage and signed voter lists could be reviewed under official procedure.
“কোন প্রার্থী যদি সুনির্দিষ্ট কোন সময়ের/কোন একটি প্রাসঙ্গিক ঘটনা পর্যালোচনা করার জন্য সিসিটিভি ফুটেজ দেখতে চান তারা যথাযথ প্রক্রিয়ায় আবেদন করলে কর্তৃপক্ষ কর্তৃক মনোনীত বিশেষজ্ঞ বা মনোনীত ব্যক্তিবর্গের উপস্থিতিতে তা দেখতে বা পর্যবেক্ষণ করতে পারবেন।”
Translation: “If any candidate wants to review CCTV footage of a specific time or incident, they may apply through proper procedure. Then, in the presence of nominated experts or officials, the footage can be observed.”
On voter lists, he added that candidates could also request to see specific signatures through proper application and under supervision.
Source: TDC
