Dhaka, Oct. 23 -- Islami Chhatra Shibir's sweeping wins in the central student union elections at Chittagong and Rajshahi universities after strong showings in Dhaka and Jahangirnagar have surprised many and sharpened questions about an ideological split on Bangladesh's campuses.

Shibir had long held ground at Chittagong University but last won the central union, CUCSU, 44 years ago. In Rajshahi, despite a strong presence around the campus, it had not led RUCSU in recent memory.

Back-to-back victories on Wednesday and Thursday have raised fresh questions about what message this sends in a Bangladesh transformed by last year's mass uprising.

Jahangirnagar University economist Prof Sharmind Neelormi says wins at Rajshahi and Chittagong w...