BCL council likely on March 31

The 29th central council of pro-Awami League student organisation Bangladesh Chhatra League is likely to be held on March 31, insiders said.

They said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has instructed BCL President Saifur Rahman Sohag and General Secretary SM Jakir Hossain to hold the council on that day when they met her at the Gono Bhaban on Monday.

Contacted, Jakir Hossain said, “We have discussed the issue with the prime minister and she has directed us to take preparations for the council.”

Asked about the date, he added, “We will finalise the date after holding a meeting of our central committee on January 12.”

Earlier on January 6, ruling Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader at the 70th founding anniversary programme of BCL asked its leaders to hold the council, saying the premier expressed her opinion to hold it in the month of independence (March).

After the announcement of the council's probable date, many of the BCL leaders have started lobbying with former BCL leaders and current AL leaders to get their blessings to be in the top posts of the next committee.

Leaders and activists of the country's largest and oldest student organisation are now regularly gathering at the Madhu's Canteen mainly to meet the supporters and activists. Who would be in the next committee has now become a talk of the campus.

As the current committee was not taking any steps for holding the council even five months after their tenure expired, a section of BCL central leaders decided to raise their demand through a press conference on January 2. However, they later postponed the press meet following assurance from the AL high command.

The last council was held on July 25-26, 2015, four years after the previous one, keeping Saifur Rahman Sohag and Jakir Hossain as the president and the general secretary respectively.

As many as 28 BCL councils were held in the last 70 years since the organisation's inception in 1948, whereas only seven were held in last 30 years in place of 15 if held regularly as per its constitution.

The article 11 (Kha) and (Ga) of the BCL constitution says the tenure of the central executive committee will be two years.