The Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) staged a siege of the Election Commission building in Agargaon, Dhaka, on Sunday, January 18, 2026. The protest was organized to denounce three alleged irregularities by the commission, which the group claims undermine electoral neutrality. JCD President Rakib accused the current Election Commission of acting under the influence of a particular political faction and favoring a specific student organization in recent university elections.

According to the JCD, the commission’s decisions on postal ballots were biased and questionable, raising doubts about the fairness of the electoral process. The group also alleged that the commission made hasty and short-sighted decisions under political pressure, compromising its independence and professionalism. Additionally, JCD criticized a controversial directive concerning the Shahjalal University of Science and Technology student council election, calling it a threat to democratic practices on campus.

The protest highlighted growing tensions over the commission’s impartiality, though no official response from the Election Commission was mentioned in the report.