Chatra League again  http://www.shamokal.com/details.php?nid=108608 Ex-leaders behind BCL factional feud They control several groups for their own interest as current leadership fail to maintain command Taking advantage of 'inept' central leadership of Bangladesh Chhatra League, some former student leaders are allegedly pulling the strings behind the BCL factions blamed for the recent spate of violence in educational institutions Several activists of Chhatra League, student wing of ruling Awami League (AL), have told The Daily Star that the ex-BCL leaders are using the groups to achieve their own ends. Some former student leaders on the other hand said cadres from other outfits infiltrating BCL and those left out of the central committee due to the age bar [29 years] are responsible for factional clashes, extortion, tender manipulation and illegal trade over admission to schools, colleges and universities. They also noted that the current leadership's failure to reorganise BCL across the country in adherence to the age limit has got the organisation into this mess. The age limit, set by AL President Sheikh Hasina to make Chhatra League politics off-limits to non-students, was first applied in the councilof 2006 that elected Mahmud Hasan Ripon and Mahfuzul Haider Roton as president and general secretary. Since taking over, Ripon-Roton committee could form only a few committees using the age criterion. Speaking in return for anonymity, a central leader told The Daily Star,"Most of the district and university committee leaders do not really bother to listen to our president and general secretary as the two are many years their junior." According to insiders, much of Chhatra League operates on dictates from its two former presidents, two recently-retired BCL leaders who are now lawmakers, and an ex-personal assistant to the AL chief.Besides, an MP from a Dhaka constituency pulls rank on the Barisal group in BCL. Of the former leaders holding sway over Chhatra League, one was listed as graft suspect by the Anti-Corruption Commission during the caretaker government tenure. He came out of hiding only a few days before the December 29 election. Meanwhile, some members of the current central committee said too many workers from student wings of other parties have joined their organisation after the AL's landslide victory in the election. Despite their involvement in various misdeeds, the BCL high command did not take any action against them. http://www.thedailystar.net/story.php?nid=83554 25 injured in BCL clash t least 25 activists were injured today in clashes between two rival groups of the Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) at Jagannath University. The clashes erupted at around 11:00pm over an incident on April 4 in which at least 12 leaders and activists of the BCL were injured, sources said. The clash between two groups of BCL – President Group led by Kamrul Hasan Ripon and the Secretary Group led by Abu Sayeed continued for three hours.The injured of the President Group are Robin, Imran, Shaon, Rajib, Shohel, Shafik, Babor and Biddut.On the other hand, the injured of the Secretary Group are Sumon, Nandi, Sharif, Maksud and Arif.Police charged baton to bring the situation under control. A tense situation is prevailing, campus sources said. http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/latest_news.php?nid=16174 |
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