A fabricated photocard purportedly from the national daily Kaler Kantho featuring a statement by Zahidul Islam, Central President of Bangladesh Islami Chhatra Shibir, has been circulating online. The card falsely attributes a quote to him claiming that unless Shibir is declared the winner in the Jahangirnagar University Central Students' Union (JUCSU) election, the university would face dire consequences. However, investigations confirm that Kaler Kantho did not publish any such news or photocard. Moreover, no such statement has been found on Zahidul Islam's verified Facebook page or in any other credible media outlet. FactWatch has therefore identified the post as false.

The photocards in question quote the Shibir president as saying that if Shibir is not declared the winner of the JUCSU election, a “river of blood” would flow at Jahangirnagar University. These cards feature the Kaler Kantho logo and are dated 12 September 2025. A review of Kaler Kantho's verified Facebook page reveals that 154 photocards were uploaded on that date within a 24-hour window. However, none of them included Zahidul Islam’s image or any statement attributed to him.

Further analysis of Kaler Kantho’s typical photocard design shows that in genuine cases, the speaker’s name and designation are listed in smaller text beneath the main quote. In contrast, the fabricated card places the speaker's designation—"Central Shibir President"—on the same line as the quote, without mentioning his name. The font and overall format also do not match Kaler Kantho’s standard design.

A review of Zahidul Islam’s verified Facebook page shows that at 7:21 PM on 12 September, he posted a statement regarding the JUCSU election. In it, he wrote: “The conspiracy surrounding the JUCSU election is still ongoing. No one expects such biased political misconduct from a university administration. Delays in vote counting are being used to sabotage the election process. The students of Jahangirnagar University will not accept this. Our clear stance is that the results must be announced promptly based on the votes cast by students. Otherwise, the university administration will have to bear responsibility for the resulting situation. The interim government cannot avoid this responsibility either. The students of Jahangirnagar University will reclaim their rights, just as they did on July 36, Inshallah.”

Notably, he did not call for any particular party to be declared the winner, instead demanding that the results be announced based on actual votes. Although he referenced the students' movement on “July 36” as a symbolic call for action, he made no explicit threat of violence such as a "river of blood."

Several reputable media outlets, including Jugantor, Prothom Alo, Ittefaq, and Janakantha, reported on Zahidul Islam’s statement at the time. None of these reports contained the quote attributed in the falsified photocard.

In conclusion, FactWatch has verified these misleading posts as false.

Source: https://www.fact-watch.org/jucsu_election_and_shibir_president/