Multiple candidates from panels backed by Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) and Islami Chhatra Shibir have alleged that their Facebook accounts were disabled just a day before the Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (DUCSU) election.
On Monday afternoon, searches on Facebook showed that the accounts of JCD-backed vice president (VP) candidate Abidul Islam Khan, general secretary (GS) candidate Sheikh Tanvir Bari Hamim, and assistant general secretary (AGS) candidate Tanvir Al Hadi were no longer accessible. Similarly, the account of Abu Sadiq Kayem, VP candidate from the Shibir-supported coalition Oikyojot, was also unavailable.
The JCD-backed panel held a press briefing in front of Madhu’s Canteen on the Dhaka University campus, where they raised concerns about what they described as a targeted cyber campaign.
In a WhatsApp message to journalists, JCD General Secretary Nasir Uddin said, “This morning, Abidul Islam Khan’s account was disabled once and later restored. Now it has been disabled again. We call on Dhaka University students to stay alert. With your support, no conspiracy can stop Abid.”
Separately, SM Forhad, GS candidate from the Shibir-backed Oikyojot panel, posted on social media alleging repeated cyberattacks. He wrote, “Our panel’s candidates are under constant cyberattack. Several accounts are already suspended, while others are frequently being logged out. May Allah help us.”
The DUCSU election is set to take place tomorrow, Tuesday, with voting scheduled from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. without interruption. Sunday marked the final day of campaigning.
