Dhaka: Fazlur Rahman Khokon and Iqbal Hossain Shamol have been elected president and general secretary respectively of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD), the student wing of BNP, through direct voting.

BNP Standing Committee Member Mirza Abbas announced the results after vote counting around 5:10am on Thursday at his Shahjahanpur residence, the UNB reported.

It was the first time in 27 years that the JCD held direct voting to elect its leadership. Ruhul Kabir Rizvi and M Ilias Ali were elected president and general secretary respectively of JCD through the last direct voting in 1992.

Nine candidates vied for the post of president while 19 for that of general secretary.

Khokon bagged 186 votes while his nearest candidate Kazi Rawnaqul Islam Shrabon got 178 votes. Shamol received 139 votes while his closet candidate Jakirul Islam Jakir got 74 votes.

Balloting began at the house of Mirza Abbas around 8:40pm on Wednesday and continued until 12:45am.

Out of 534 councillors of Chhatra Dal’s 117 units across the country, 481 cast their ballots.

JCD election steering committee convener Khairul Kabir Khokon said they held the balloting to elect the president and general secretary of BNP’s student body through a democratic process overcoming various obstacles.

Earlier in the afternoon, the JCD councillors had a meeting with their organisational guardian Tarique, who joined through Skype, at BNP’s Nayapaltan headquarters where they decided to hold the voting.

Those who vied for JCD president post are – Khokon, Hafizur Rahman, Mamun Billah, SM Sajid Hasan Babu, Mahmudul Hasan Bappi, Riyadh M Tanbvir Reza Ruble, M Ershad Khan, Mahmud Alam Sarder and Kazi Rawnaqul Islam Shrabon.

The general secretary candidates include Jakirul Islam Jakir, M Shah Newaj, Aminur Rahman Amin, M Hasan (Tanjil Hasan), M Karimul Hye (Nayeem), Mazedul Islam Rumon, Dalia Rahman, M Sheikh Abu Taher, Sadiqur Rahman, KM Sakhawat Hossain, Sirajul Islam, Iqbal  Hossain Shaymol, Jewel Hawlader (Saif Mahmud Jewel), Munshi Anisur Rahman, M Mizanur Rahman Sharif, Sheikh Mohammad Moshiur Rahman Roni, Mostafizur Rahman, Sohel Rana and Kazi Mazharul Islam.

JCD’s council was scheduled to be held on Sept 14, but a Dhaka court issued an ad interim injunction on it on September 12.

The court passed the order as JCD’s former assistant religious affairs secretary Md Aman Ullah Aman filed a case seeking a permanent injunction on the council.

On Tuesday, JCD councillors made BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman the organisational guardian of the student body in absence of Khaleda Zia.

As the organisational guardian, Tarique was given the authority to amend the JCD charter, convene and adjourn council, conduct election to select leadership and take any political and organisational decision for the student body’s overhauling and its proper functioning.

JCD's last committee was formed on October 14, 2014, with Rajib Ahsan as its president and Akramul Hasan as general secretary. It was dissolved on June 3 last.