JUCSU polling officer dies while on duty

A polling officer passed away on Friday morning after falling ill while on duty during the Jahangirnagar University Central Students’ Union (JUCSU) elections.

The deceased was identified as Jannatul Ferdous, a teacher in the Department of Fine Arts at the university. He fell ill while performing his duties and was immediately taken to Enam Medical College Hospital, where he later died.

Confirming the incident, Associate Professor Shamim Reza, head of the Department of Fine Arts, said, “I was serving as a polling officer and returning officer at Pritilata Hall. He (Jannatul Ferdous) collapsed near the door while votes were being counted in the morning. He was then taken to the hospital, where he passed away.”

Jannatul Ferdous’s elder brother, Mohammad Asif, added, “Around 8:30 am, after going to the third floor of the election commission building, he collapsed in the corridor in front of everyone. Later, when taken to the hospital, the doctors on duty declared him dead.”

Voting for the JUCSU and hall elections had begun on Thursday at 9 a.m., and vote counting started at 10:15 p.m. the same night, with manual counting displayed on LED screens. A total of 11,897 voters were registered across the university’s 21 halls, including 6,115 male students and 5,728 female students.