Provost relieved after rigging at Kuwait Maitree

The provost of Kuwait Maitree Hall was relieved today after evidence of rigging during Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (Ducsu) election.

Voting at the girls’ hall was suspended around 9:30am after a stash of stamped ballots in favour of Bangladesh Chhatra League’s panel was found.

Election at the hall resumed from 11:10am, new hall Provost Mahbuba Nasrin told journalists on the spot. The voting ended 5:10pm.

Female students found the stash of stamped ballots, in a sack, inside the reading room. They burst into protest following the discovery.

Pro-Vice Chancellor Prof Muhammad Samad announced suspension of voting after he verified the rigging and discovery of stamped ballots.

Dhaka University Proctor Golam Rabbani told reporters that the allegation of vote rigging at Kuwait Maitree Hall was found to be true.

Students of Kuwait Maitree Hall show stuffed ballot papers found before the Ducsu election starts on Monday, March 11, 2019. Photo: Palash Khan

Hall Provost Dr Shabnam Jahan has been relieved of her duties after the incident, Vice Chancellor Prof Md Akhtaruzzaman told The Daily Star.

She was replaced by Prof Dr Mahbuba Nasrin over allegation of irregularities.

Also, a four-member probe body headed by DU pro-VC (Administration) Prof Muhammad Samad has been formed to investigate the incident.