BCL Central Committee: 19 ‘controversial’ leaders to lose post

Bangladesh Chhatra League is going to drop at least 19 members from the organisation’s recently announced committee following various allegations, said BCL insiders.

BCL General Secretary Golam Rabbani said they had served show cause notices to 16 “controversial” leaders on May 15. Eight of them failed to come up with evidence in favour of their innocence. As a result, they will be excluded from the committee.

“Besides, we found another 11 controversial leaders in the committee and will expel them,” he said, adding, “these 19 posts will soon be declared vacant.”

Asked about the delay in fulfilling his promise to expel the “controversial” leaders, Rabbani said BCL had verified the allegations with the help of different intelligence agencies in the last 10-12 days, which took time.

He told this correspondent that they would issue a press release by night mentioning the names of the dismissed leader.

The press release, however, was not issued.

On May 13, Chhatra league, the pro-Awami League student body, announced its 301-member full-fledged central committee, creating huge controversy and demonstration by some of those who could not make it to the body.

During a meeting with BCL leaders at the Gono Bhaban on May 15, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, also the chief of the AL, directed Chhatra League President Rezwanul Haque Chowdhury Shovon to drop the “controversial” leaders from its committee, if allegations against them were found true.

Hours later, the BCL general secretary disclosed names of some “controversial” leaders at a press conference at the AL chief’s political office in the capital’s Dhanmondi.

DEMO OF POST-DEPRIVED FACTION

Meanwhile, the post-deprived faction of the BCL resumed demonstration on Monday night at the base of Raju Memorial Sculpture, demanding exclusion of the controversial leaders.

They were staging a sit-in at the venue last night, vowing to continue their agitation until their demands were met.

Contacted, Rakib Hossain, spokesperson for the faction, said they still could not believe that Rabbani will take steps against the controversial leaders.

He also said they would not stop their demonstration even if the BCL expels the 19 leaders.