The New Nation - Internet Edition

JU Correspondent

Absence of leaders and proper patronage of the parent organisation has brought Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) of Jahangirnagar University (JU) to a standstill.

The BCL (JU unit), students wing of Bangladesh Awami League (AL), which has been playing a vital role in national politics since the inception of the University had recently failed to uphold its former image because of the lack of farsightedness and political acumen of the leadership.

Due to the absence of a full-fledged committee and proper guidance, the general members are grouped in many factions on the campus.

It is learned that the present convener committee was formed on January 26, 2006 headed by Sohel Pervez and Mahmud Naser Joni as president and secretary respectively.

Within a short time, some senior leaders and activists, including the president allegedly got involved in tender grabbing, petty crimes and other immoral activities in and around the campus.

As a result, they lost popularity among the teachers and students of the University and were forced out from the campus on January 10 by a rival students' organisation.

This situation led to the joining of some BCL activists with other students' organisations to retain their residential student status. This brought the organisational activities of Chhatra League to a grinding halt on the campus.

Now, they are unable to observe even the central programmes on the campus. Moreover, the general members are now showing disenchantment with students' politics as a whole.

In this situation, the evicted president and secretary of JU unit met with the central president on July 11. They have been directed to take initiative to form a new committee through an extended meeting on the campus. But the committee is yet to be formed.

Ajibur, a senior leader of BCL JU unit said that the central organisation should take initiative to form a new committee as soon as possible to reactivate the organisation on the campus.

When contacted, the central president of BCL, M Mahmudul Hasan Ripon told this correspondent that they had already taken necessary steps to form a new committee within a short time.