Discontent runs high in BCL over delay in calling election to central committee

A section of the leaders and activists of ruling Awami League’s student affiliate have expressed resentment over a delay in calling central executive committee election.

Many fear they will miss out on being elected to the Bangladesh Chhatra League committee as they will soon cease to be students.

The last council and election was held about four years back in July, 2011.

The organisation's top leadership had said four months ago that they would announce council date ‘shortly’.

Now, they say the announcement will be made only after the Dhaka city corporation polls.

When asked, BCL President HM Badiuzzaman Sohag, did not, however, specify the time when the council would be held.

He told bdnews24.com: “Councils are a continuous process. Councils of district committees are being held. And preparations are on to hold the central council.”

Sohag said at a Nov 29 press conference at Dhaka University, held on Prime Minister’s ICT Affairs Adviser Sajeeb Ahmed Wazed Joy’s ‘Save Campus, Clean Campus’ programme, that the BCL council date would be announced shortly.

The BCL constitution provides for the election of new leaders every two years.

Article 11(b) says: “The tenure of the central executive committee is two years. Council has to be held within that time. Otherwise, the executive committee will stand dissolved.”

Sohag and General Secretary Siddiqui Nazmul Alam were elected to the BCL central committee at the council held on Jul 10, 2011.

The delay in the holding the BCL central council is being discussed even in Awami League forums.

Prime Minister and Awami League President Sheikh Hasina has reportedly asked the BCL leadership to hold the council promptly.

A newspaper quoted her as telling Nazmul Alam on Mar 26: “When you will become a 'former'? Arrange the council promptly and be former.”

Hasina reportedly made the remarks when Alam had requested her to back former Chhatra League leaders in the Dhaka city corporation polls.

Several leaders of the organisation accuse its top leaders of clinging onto their posts ‘illegally’.

They allege the president and general secretary were deliberately delaying the holding of the central council.

They said the top leaders had started arranging district councils as a means to counter the pressure for the central council.

Though the central leaders are citing the organising of district councils as the main reason for central council being deferred, they took four years to arrange 54 councils.

They held only four district councils since the Nov 29 press conference.

The latest was held on Saturday in Comilla.

BCL Comilla town unit President Saiful Islam was killed during the meet in clashes between two groups of leaders and activists in the presence of Sohag and Nazmul.

According to the BCL office, nine more district councils will be held from Apr 18 to May 16.

The BCL has 101 ‘district committees’ which include the ones based at public universities.

A section of leaders thinks the BCL is becoming organisationally weak because of the delay in holding the councils.

A leader told bdnews24.com on condition of anonymity: “Many youths wishing to take organisational responsibility are getting frustrated by the delay.”

“Their studentship is nearing an end. Chhatra League will lose many experienced and able organisers if there is further delay in forming the new committees,” he said.

The BCL constitution was changed on Apr 4, 2006, providing that one has to be below 29 years and study at any institution to be its leader or activist.

Nazmul Alam told bdnews24.com: “The prime minister has asked for holding the council very promptly. That’s why we’ll announce the council date at a press conference after the city corporation election.”