New BCL leadership before Eid?

Setting a rare example, Bangladesh Chhatra League has not yet announced its new committee even two weeks into its national council.

In the last 28 councils, the organisation did not take more than seven days to elect the new leadership.

The scenario is different this time as the committee would be selected by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina herself. Neither BCL leaders nor anyone from the Awami League could say when the committee will be announced.

The 29th council of the AL-associated student organisation was held on May 11-12. On the first day, AL President Sheikh Hasina announced that the new leadership would be chosen through “negotiation”, not through election.

Hasina had asked the BCL leaders to choose the new leaders through “negotiation”. Accordingly, some former and current BCL leaders met on May 12 but could not reach consensus and went to the Gono Bhaban next day.

BCL insiders said this time the premier herself would choose new leadership as she can hardly rely on anyone.

Before the council, four investigation agencies of the government had visited families of the aspiring leaders and submitted reports to Hasina, the sources said.

BCL leaders said the prime minister is taking more time than usual because she wants to select “more qualified leaders” and is currently busy in state affairs.

“Currently the PM is visiting India and would declare BCL's new committee after returning home. It might take more time, but we are hopeful that the committee would be announced before Eid-ul-Fitr,” said a top BCL leader.

Meanwhile, uncertainty is prevailing among the aspiring leaders, and they are gathering at Madhur Canteen on Dhaka University campus on a regular basis to flex their muscles.

Allegations run rife that ever since election was introduced in 2006 to choose new leadership, a specific “syndicate” led by one of BCL's former presidents took control of the process of selecting new leaders.

That “syndicate” has been putting leaders loyal to them into the top posts since then.

Because of this, there would not be any voting this time, said some leaders.

This year, a total of 111 leaders collected nomination forms for president post and 212 for general secretary post.

After the council ended inconclusive, some former BCL activists, who are claimed to be “anti-syndicate” leaders, started campaigning for two leaders of Chittagong and Kurigram for president and general secretary positions respectively. One of them was arrested in an anti-drug crackdown on July 7 last year, according to some media reports.

These two factions -- loyal to and opposing the so-called syndicate -- started mud-slinging on social media. Both groups raised allegations like the candidates from the opposition were married, addicted to drugs or expelled.

There was also allegation that at least 40 aspirants were intruders from BNP-affiliated Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal or Jamaat-e-Islami's Islami Chhatra Shibir.

Contacted, BCL general secretary SM Jakir Hossain said they submitted the list of the candidates to the PM. “The incumbent committee has not been dissolved yet. The premier instructed us to continue until the new committee is declared,” he said.