‘Election Lab’ launched at SUST for first time in country

For the first time in Bangladesh, an “Election Lab” has been inaugurated at the Political Studies Department of Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST) for election-focused research.

The lab will work on conducting systematic and empirical research on elections, voter behavior, and electoral processes.

At 11:00am on Thursday (19 February), in a program held in Room 504 of the Social Sciences Building, the Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr AM Sarwar-Uddin Chowdhury officially inaugurated the Election Lab.

At the opening, the Vice-Chancellor said that with the start of this Election Lab, teachers and students will benefit by collecting and reviewing election data. He also commented on this year’s elections, saying that this year’s elections were comparatively better than previous ones. He expressed hope that the Election Lab will play a role in improving future elections in the country.

Prof Dr Ashraful Rahman, President of the inauguration program and Head of the Political Studies Department, said that opening a lab in the department for the first time is a groundbreaking initiative. He added that students will be able to improve their own research and analytical skills.

Prof Dr Md Sahabul Haque, Director of the Election Lab, said, “The goal of this lab is to present reliable research results through scientific analysis of election-related information and to enrich democratic practices.”

The program was attended by special guest Professor Dr Md Ismail Hossain, Treasurer of the university. The session was chaired by Professor Dr Syed Ashraful Rahman, Chairman of the department. Welcome remarks were given by Professor Dr Zayeda Sharmin (Additional Director of the Election Lab) and Professor Dr Md Nazrul Islam. The inauguration was coordinated by Professor Dr Md Sahabul Haque. Teachers and students from the department were also present.

It is noted that on 1 February, a decision was made at a departmental meeting to establish the Election Lab. Previously, teachers and students had conducted surveys in various constituencies, analyzed candidates’ affidavits, evaluated constituency-based results, and carried out research on voting systems. The Election Lab was established to bring these activities under a coordinated academic structure. The development and civic organization Impact Initiative is also associated with the project.

The Election Lab will serve as an integrated academic platform for teachers and students, with the aim of providing timely, accurate, research-based statistics, reports, and analytical insights on voting and elections in Bangladesh. The lab will conduct research by analyzing survey data, election results, and other empirical data. It also aims to contribute to informed public discussion and evidence-based policymaking by publishing reader-friendly reports while maintaining strict academic standards.

After the inauguration, a seminar titled “Analysis of the 13th National Parliamentary Election Results” was held, where faculty and students discussed election results, voting trends, political significance, and overall impact.