SELF PROMOTION … Leaders of Chhatra League hoist huge billboards with large photos of themselves at Matshya Bhaban intersection in the capital to mark the birth anniversary of the pro-ruling party student body. They have done this ignoring a Chhatra League instruction not to use any photos apart from the ones of Bangabandhu, Sheikh Hasina and her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy. Photo: star The leaders of Ba
ngladesh Chhatra League would probably never admit that the organisation had done anything bad in the last six years. But since the Awami League's landslide polls victory in 2008, the organisation has hogged headlines for nothing but internal clashes, extortion, tender manipulation and beating and maiming rivals. Within months of AL's assuming office in 2009, BCL's misdeeds prompted party chief and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to resign from the post of the student body's “organisational leader”. The Prime Minister's Office in April next year had to order the home ministry to take necessary action against the BCL's criminal activities. Today the organisation celebrates its 67th founding anniversary. But a reflection of its motto “Education, Peace and Prosperity” or of its glorious past is nowhere to be found. Born on January 4, 1948, the student body played a big role in the movements of '60s and the Liberation War, 1971. But now if you google BCL or Chhatra League, the search engine will find you a bulk of images showing its activists wielding hockey sticks, iron rods and sharp weapons, brandishing or shooting firearms, and beating and hacking people. BCL General Secretary Siddique Nazmul Alam still denies any image crisis of the organisation. “Chhatra League is now playing its due role,” he claims when contacted. Advertisement According to media reports, 39 BCL leaders and activists died in clashes within the organisation or with other organisations in the last six years. Of them, 30 were killed in infighting. It was involved in some 432 clashes leaving at least 54 people killed. Of them 14 are children, common people and activists of rival organisations. About 2,000 people were injured in the incidents. Due to the BCL's mayhem, over 50 educational institutions, including five universities had to close down for indefinite periods. For various offences, around 160 BCL men have been expelled from various educational institutions. Its central committee expelled around 200 leaders and activists, and dissolved at least 15 unit committees, insiders said. Yesterday, addressing a rally at Dhaka University as part of the BCL's anniversary celebration, AL Presidium Member Obaidul Quader, who was president of the organisation from 1978 to 1981, asked the present leadership to restore its glory by winning people's heart through their activities. The pro-AL student body does not bother about even its own constitution. The executive committee formed on July 11, 2011 had its tenure expired in July 2013. The committee was supposed to hold council sessions of all 101 units of the organisation during its tenure. But so far it could hold sessions of only 28 while only 54 units got new committees. Now almost all its 101 units are plagued with internal feuds and factional clashes, BCL sources said. Recently, an intelligence report found a section of AL leaders and teachers were behind BCL's factional clashes. Submitted to the senior secretaries of the home and education ministries on December 17, the report recommended holding councils of BCL units immediately and solving intra-party conflicts. "I respect the glorious history of Chhatra League and I can't make any comment on its present activities,” former BCL president (1986-1989) Sultan Mohammad Munsur Ahmed told this correspondent.
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