Anaet Shawon with Abdul Karim
The newly-formed committee of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL), student-wing of ruling Awami League (AL), has been filled with a few married and father of children, non-students, extortionists, expelled activists, drug addicts and dealers, suspected criminals and controversial student leaders.
While, women leaders of BCL did not get any top posts in the full-fledged committee, although they were in the committee previously.
Although, a good number of activists of clean image also secured posts but many dedicated activists were deprived, while activists with Chhatra Dal and Shibir connections found berth in the new
committee.
Full-fledged BCL central executive committee was formed on Monday night seven months after holding its 28th national council on July 25 and 26 last year where Saifur Rahman Sohag and SM Jakir Hossain were elected President and General Secretary respectively.
Sources said as per the directives of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and BCL regulations, married and non-students cannot get posts in the  BCL committee but incumbent BCL President and General Secretary have rewarded some controversial persons being influenced by former leaders.
The new committee was formed with 301 members, though, according to its constitution the number should have been 251. The new committee consists of 61 vice-presidents, 11 joint secretaries, 11organising secretaries, 32 secretaries, 111 deputy secretaries, 46 assistant secretaries and 27 members whose names are yet to be published.
BCL insiders alleged that the incumbent Vice-President, Sakib Hasan Swim, expelled as Dhaka College unit general secretary, was responsible for a factional clash on November 30 in 2013 that left a student of Zoology Department Asaduzzaman Faruk dead. While Vice President Abdul Baset Galib, a former deputy secretary, was allegedly held by law enforcers with arms. Besides, Organising Secretary Srijan Ghosh Sajeeb was accused in an extortion case.
Kazi Anayet was involved in extortion at Shahbagh area and involved in tender manipulation at Shikkha Bhaban, while Anwar Hossain Anu was involved in drug dealing and ransom activities.
It is also observed that Vice-President, Arshadur Rahman Chowdhury, a former Chhatra Dal activist, has crossed the age limit of 29 at least a year ago while VP Arefin Siddique Sujan, and Joint General Secretaries Sheikh Faisal Amin and Rezaul Islam Reza are alleged to have link with Shibir.
It is also alleged that vice-presidents Azizul Hoque Rana, got married after council held in July, while M Tofazzal Hoque Chayon, Suprio Kundu Rajesh, Nusrat Jahan Nupur, Joint General Secretary Shahidul Islam Shahed and Organising Secretary Naoshad Uddin Sujan are married. While UK expatriate Assistant Secretary Shahid Chowdhury is a father of a child.
Besides, Vice-President Abu Hossain Bipu is accused for assaulting a female student in Rajshahi University while a few of the other female leaders have allegedly been cashing in on their looks.
Besides, among the vice-presidents, Masud Rana Mithu, Nishita Iqbal Nodee and Ahsan Habib Rana were allegedly involved in drug dealing. While Aminul Islam, former DU Shahidullah Hall unit president, Organizing Secretary BM Ehtesham and at least 20 others have not completed their academic life.
While Mehedi Hasan, former general secretary of Mohsin Hall, is allegedly involved in Yaba trade. On December 8 in 2014 police detained seven outsiders from the DU campus and seized 1,250 Yaba pills from Mohsin Hall. They confessed to police that Mehedi was involved in the deal.
Organising Secretary Ashikul Pathan Shetu was alleged to have killed a rickshaw puller in a private car accident on the campus last year.
Former BCL leaders claimed that the new committee is formed but Apel Mahmud Sabuj, Al Amin Ahmed, Golam Baki, Mostafa Abdullah Al Noor Shongram and dozens of other activists were deprived of posts. It has also been alleged that these leaders did politics against the so-called syndicate.
However, six journalists also got posts in the new committee but BCL has a declaration in writing that "BCL men would be suspended immediately if anyone is found involved in business or employment." The question was raised as to how journalists and businessmen got into the committee.
BCL General Secretary SM Jakir Hossain told the daily Observer, "We have tried to evaluate all the dedicated leaders who have contributed to the party among the current students, unmarried and those under 29 years of age."