Allegations of Political Influence as VP Candidate Occupies Illegal Hall Seat

Amid the ongoing Chattogram University Chaksu elections, allegations have surfaced against Niamat Ullah, also known as Abrar Farabi, the president of the Shibir faction in Sohrawardy Hall, claiming that he used political influence to secure an unauthorised seat in the hall.

Recently, as a vice president (VP) candidate for the hall council elections, Niamat Ullah stated in his electoral manifesto that if elected, he would work to alleviate the housing crisis in the halls.

However, concerns have emerged over the fact that, despite not meeting the required academic criteria, he allegedly leveraged political influence to obtain a place in Sohrawardy Hall.

According to university sources, Niamat Ullah’s undergraduate CGPA is 2.65, whereas only students with a minimum CGPA of 3.29 are typically eligible for accommodation in Sohrawardy Hall. Despite this, he reportedly received a seat under special consideration.

Mohammad Ali, president of the Shakha Islami Chhatra Shibir, stated: “Being a residential student is not a mandatory requirement to participate in the hall elections. However, we learned that Niamat Ullah received a seat under special consideration due to financial constraints. Every hall has a few seats allocated this way.”

Niamat Ullah himself admitted to receiving the seat, explaining: “Since my home is far away, I applied to the administration. After that, I was granted permission to stay in the hall.”

Professor Md. Kamal Uddin, Vice Pro-Chancellor, clarified: “No student is allocated a single seat purely under special consideration. According to university regulations, a student may be placed in a double seat if necessary, but this requires the consent of the other student and approval from the Provost. Such allocations are never considered as legally valid seats.”

Currently, Chattogram University has approximately 30,000 students, of which only 8,000 are accommodated in halls, and 6,000 live off-campus in private housing or cottages. This has generated concerns that many students are left without accommodation, while Niamat Ullah allegedly benefited from political influence to secure a seat and the privileges of a residential student.

The controversy has intensified debates over fairness and transparency in university housing allocation, especially in the context of the ongoing hall council elections.