Joy, Lekhak made acting president, GS of BCL

Shovon, Rabbani tender resignations to PM

After a series of events and controversy over the Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) leadership, the ruling Awami League yesterday named Al-Nahean Khan Joy and Lekhak Bhattacharjee as the acting president and general secretary respectively of its student wing. The BCL incumbent committee senior vice-president Al-Nahean Khan Joy and 1st joint general secretary Lekhak Bhattacharjee would replace Rezwanul Haque Chowdhury Shovon and Golam Rabbani, who tendered their resignation as BCL president and general secretary to the prime minister yesterday amid widespread controversy over their recent actions.

The new appointments were made at the meeting of Awami League Central Working Committee (ALCWC), the highest policymaking body of the ruling party, held at Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s official residence Ganabhaban yesterday.

Talking to this correspondent over the phone, AL Joint General Secretary Jahangir Kabir Nanak yesterday said, “Our party chief has taken two major decisions in the ALCWC meeting. One is on the party central council session and another is on the BCL.”

“Our party president has given responsibility to Al-Nahean Khan Joy and Lekhak Bhattacharjee as the acting president and general secretary of BCL respectively,” he said.

In the 29th central council session, the BCL vested all power to Sheikh Hasina as the president of Awami League, who nominated Shovon and Rabbani as president and general

secretary on July 31 last year. Nearly one year later, they announced the 301-member central committee, but the duo had to face huge criticism and protest for inducting controversial faces in the new committee.

Allegations ran rife that the new committee, despite having some dedicated BCL leaders, included a few married people, non-students, extortionists, expelled BCL men, drug dealers and addicts, and former leaders and activists of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal and Islami Chhatra Shibir, according to insiders.

Amid continuous protest by a section of BCL leaders, the student body dropped 19 of its members from the committee on May 29, but their names are yet to be made public.

On September 7, Sheikh Hasina, at a joint meeting of AL’s Parliamentary Board and Local Government Nomination Board in Ganabhaban, expressed annoyance over the recent ‘controversial’ activities of Shovon and Rabbani and instructed the party’s central leaders to dissolve the current committee.

Party sources said BCL organisational chief Sheikh Hasina got hurt when came to know that Shovon and Rabbani had demanded ‘4 to 6 percent’ as extortion of a Tk 1,445-crore project of the Jahangirnagar University from its Vice-Chancellor Professor Farzana Islam.

On September 10, Shovon and Rabbani’s special passes to enter Ganabhaban were suspended.

Some allegations of irregularity against Shovon and Rabbani:

During the first half of their two-year tenure, the duo could form only two committees. They failed to form committees for Jagannath University and Eden Mohila College although the councils of these units were held two months ago.

The two top former BCL leaders had demanded a 4-6 percent cut from the massive development project of Jahangirnagar University and alleged that the vice-chancellor had given Tk 1.6 crore to the university unit of BCL from its development fund. They met her in person at her residence, allegedly to demand the money, and also at a hospital while she was undergoing treatment.

Jahangirnagar Chhatra League denies receiving Tk 1.6cr from the VC.

JU VC Professor Farzana met the PM on September 10 and discussed these matters related to the central BCL leaders. “The PM said: They [Shovon-Rabbani] put you in trouble too,’” Prof Farzana said, adding that the PM asked her not to worry.

In a letter written to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Friday seeking apology, Rabbani wrote, “The Jahangirnagar University VC’s husband and son used the university’s Chhatra League unit to strike a deal to get a hefty commission and they gave the Jahangirnagar University Chhatra League unit Tk 1.6 crore before Eid-Ul-Azha.” The letter was not accepted.

Rabbani, also the general secretary of Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (DUCSU), faced criticism for installing an Air Conditioner in his DUCSU building room.

On Tuesday, two vice-presidents of the organisation got engaged in a scuffle over sitting inside Shovon’s car near Madhur Canteen in Dhaka University. It has been alleged that Shovon dragged a journalist inside his car when the latter was filming the scuffle and Shovon deleted the footage himself.

At Jagannath University, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal had to wait for nearly three hours to inaugurate the council as Shovon and Rabbani reached the venue two and a half hours after the scheduled time.

On September 05, hundreds of BCL leaders and activists accompanying Rezwanul Haque Chowdhury Shovon illegally entered the Sylhet MAG Osmani International Airport and also entered the aircraft to see the leader off, raising criticisms over security system of the airport.

Leaders trespassed through the VIP entrance and Departure lounge to say a goodbye or present a flower bouquetto Shovon as he was returning to Dhaka by a a private airlines flight.

Several allegations were also brought against the two top BCL ex-leaders of taking bribes for approving party unit committees.

 

Joy, Lekhak made acting president, GS of BCL

Shovon, Rabbani tender resignations to PM

After a series of events and controversy over the Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) leadership, the ruling Awami League yesterday named Al-Nahean Khan Joy and Lekhak Bhattacharjee as the acting president and general secretary respectively of its student wing. The BCL incumbent committee senior vice-president Al-Nahean Khan Joy and 1st joint general secretary Lekhak Bhattacharjee would replace Rezwanul Haque Chowdhury Shovon and Golam Rabbani, who tendered their resignation as BCL president and general secretary to the prime minister yesterday amid widespread controversy over their recent actions. The new appointments were made at the meeting of Awami League Central Working Committee (ALCWC), the highest policymaking body of the ruling party, held at Prime Minister Sheikh Hasinas official residence Ganabhaban yesterday. Talking to this correspondent over the phone, AL Joint General Secretary Jahangir Kabir Nanak yesterday said, Our party chief has taken two major decisions in the ALCWC meeting. One is on the party central council session and another is on the BCL. Our party president has given responsibility to Al-Nahean Khan Joy and Lekhak Bhattacharjee as the acting president and general secretary of BCL respectively, he said. In the 29th central council session, the BCL vested all power to Sheikh Hasina as the president of Awami League, who nominated Shovon and Rabbani as president and general secretary on July 31 last year. Nearly one year later, they announced the 301-member central committee, but the duo had to face huge criticism and protest for inducting controversial faces in the new committee. Allegations ran rife that the new committee, despite having some dedicated BCL leaders, included a few married people, non-students, extortionists, expelled BCL men, drug dealers and addicts, and former leaders and activists of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal and Islami Chhatra Shibir, according to insiders. Amid continuous protest by a section of BCL leaders, the student body dropped 19 of its members from the committee on May 29, but their names are yet to be made public. On September 7, Sheikh Hasina, at a joint meeting of ALs Parliamentary Board and Local Government Nomination Board in Ganabhaban, expressed annoyance over the recent controversial activities of Shovon and Rabbani and instructed the partys central leaders to dissolve the current committee. Party sources said BCL organisational chief Sheikh Hasina got hurt when came to know that Shovon and Rabbani had demanded 4 to 6 percent as extortion of a Tk 1,445-crore project of the Jahangirnagar University from its Vice-Chancellor Professor Farzana Islam. On September 10, Shovon and Rabbanis special passes to enter Ganabhaban were suspended. Some allegations of irregularity against Shovon and Rabbani: During the first half of their two-year tenure, the duo could form only two committees. They failed to form committees for Jagannath University and Eden Mohila College although the councils of these units were held two months ago. The two top former BCL leaders had demanded a 4-6 percent cut from the massive development project of Jahangirnagar University and alleged that the vice-chancellor had given Tk 1.6 crore to the university unit of BCL from its development fund. They met her in person at her residence, allegedly to demand the money, and also at a hospital while she was undergoing treatment. Jahangirnagar Chhatra League denies receiving Tk 1.6cr from the VC. JU VC Professor Farzana met the PM on September 10 and discussed these matters related to the central BCL leaders. The PM said: They [Shovon-Rabbani] put you in trouble too, Prof Farzana said, adding that the PM asked her not to worry. In a letter written to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Friday seeking apology, Rabbani wrote, The Jahangirnagar University VCs husband and son used the universitys Chhatra League unit to strike a deal to get a hefty commission and they gave the Jahangirnagar University Chhatra League unit Tk 1.6 crore before Eid-Ul-Azha. The letter was not accepted. Rabbani, also the general secretary of Dhaka University Central Students Union (DUCSU), faced criticism for installing an Air Conditioner in his DUCSU building room. On Tuesday, two vice-presidents of the organisation got engaged in a scuffle over sitting inside Shovons car near Madhur Canteen in Dhaka University. It has been alleged that Shovon dragged a journalist inside his car when the latter was filming the scuffle and Shovon deleted the footage himself. At Jagannath University, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal had to wait for nearly three hours to inaugurate the council as Shovon and Rabbani reached the venue two and a half hours after the scheduled time. On September 05, hundreds of BCL leaders and activists accompanying Rezwanul Haque Chowdhury Shovon illegally entered the Sylhet MAG Osmani International Airport and also entered the aircraft to see the leader off, raising criticisms over security system of the airport. Leaders trespassed through the VIP entrance and Departure lounge to say a goodbye or present a flower bouquetto Shovon as he was returning to Dhaka by a a private airlines flight. Several allegations were also brought against the two top BCL ex-leaders of taking bribes for approving party unit committees.