Chhatra Dal's new committee still not announced, what's up behind the scenes?

The current president and general secretary of the Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) had been preparing to step down. Farewell messages had even been posted on social media. The names of potential new leaders had reached the chairman of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and Prime Minister Tarique Rahman. The new committee was expected to be announced shortly after the two current top leaders met with him. But nearly a month has passed since then, and no announcement has been made.

Why has the new Chhatra Dal committee been held up? Several sources within the BNP, Chhatra Dal, and others involved indicate that the leadership selection process is being reconsidered, with the aim of increasing the organisation’s appeal among students of the new generation. The main issue now under discussion is whether to bring relatively younger leaders to the forefront or give priority to experienced leaders who have been involved in the movement for a long time.

Sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the decision-making process is on. Efforts are underway to form a leadership team combining younger and experienced leaders. Other factors being considered include the organisation’s performance in student union elections, its ability to maintain communication with ordinary students, and its capacity to ensure organisational discipline.

According to sources, preparations had been underway to announce the names of the new leaders shortly after the current president of Chhatra Dal, Rakibul Islam, and general secretary, Nasir Uddin, met with Tarique Rahman last month. Initially, there had been plans to form a five-member committee.

However, a senior BNP figure currently serving in the government subsequently advised Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to form the leadership while taking into account the mindset, expectations, and political aspirations of the current generation, particularly Gen Z students.

According to the sources, discussions over the potential leadership lineup then began anew. Different levels of the organisation put forward differing views on whether relatively younger leaders should be brought to the forefront or experienced leaders who have been involved in political movements and struggles for many years should be given priority.

A source close to the Prime Minister’s Office said Tarique Rahman has more or less decided who will become president of the central Chhatra Dal. The main consideration now concerns the general secretary and the other top positions. Efforts are being made to shape the leadership by balancing three factors: experience, contributions to political movements, and the ability to connect with the younger generation.

However, other sources said discussions are still ongoing over how to balance senior and junior leadership in the two top positions. No final decision has yet been confirmed on who will be assigned to which position.

A source involved in BNP policymaking, speaking on condition of anonymity, said there is support at the party’s highest levels for making Chhatra Dal’s leadership more youth-oriented. The organisation has also faced longstanding criticism for giving preference to leaders from relatively older academic cohorts.

The argument being put forward is that relatively junior leaders should be brought to the forefront to narrow the age and educational gap between the leadership and current students, and to better understand the language and expectations of the new generation.

However, not everyone whose advice Tarique Rahman sought agrees with this view. Another source said that, during the adverse political environment of the past 15 years, some of the leaders who remained active on the ground faced lawsuits, arrests, and imprisonment. They have experience politically confronting the Chhatra League at the grassroots level. They are also familiar with the organisational strategies of Islami Chhatra Shibir. The view has also been conveyed to Tarique Rahman that it would not be appropriate to completely exclude these leaders and hand over the top leadership to relatively junior figures.

Sources said efforts are underway to reconcile the two positions. There is a plan to place one relatively senior and one junior leader in the two top positions. In selecting the senior leader, their political and organisational roles over the past 15 years are being taken into consideration.

However, no specific explanation was available as to which academic years exactly are meant by “senior” and “junior.” Among those interested in the top positions are former students from the 2008-09, 2009-10, and 2010-11 academic years, as well as many from the 2014-15 and 2015-16 academic years.

People within BNP involved in the matter do not view the selection of Chhatra Dal’s leadership simply as a change of committee. The organisation’s performance in recent student-union elections at universities has also become part of discussions over the selection of the new leadership.

Candidates backed by Islami Chhatra Shibir performed well in student-union elections at several major universities, including the University of Dhaka. By comparison, Chhatra Dal’s results were weak. As a result, consideration is also being given to how the organisation can make a comeback in upcoming student union elections.

A BNP source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said there has been support for bringing in leaders who would not only keep party activists engaged in organisational programs but would also be able to increase the organisation’s appeal among general students.

The organisation’s internal discipline and its leaders’ ability to implement directives have also emerged as issues in discussions over the new leadership.

A person involved in BNP politics, speaking on condition of anonymity, assessed that Islami Chhatra Shibir has relatively well-organised mechanisms for issuing directives from the central level down to the grassroots and ensuring their implementation. In contrast, various leader- and faction-centered groups and subgroups have been more prominent within Chhatra Dal and, in the past, Chhatra League.

According to the source, the new Chhatra Dal leadership must be capable of not only running the central committee but also managing the organisation at the university, district, city, and college levels along the same organisational lines.

The issue of preventing people from other organizations from joining Chhatra Dal and securing positions within it is also under discussion. One source said there is support for thoroughly vetting the past political affiliations of relatively junior candidates if they are to be given important positions. At the same time, the organizational commitment of leaders who remained active in Chhatra Dal politics during difficult times is also being assessed.

The current committee, led by Rakibul Islam and Nasir Uddin, was formed on 1 March 2024. According to Chhatra Dal’s constitution, the central committee has a two-year term. Accordingly, the current committee’s term ended on March 1 this year.

Several sources said Tarique Rahman has sought names and opinions from various levels regarding who should make up the new leadership. However, he will make the final decision himself.

Two sources close to the Prime Minister’s Office said that, according to the information available to them, the new Chhatra Dal committee could be announced “at any time.” However, they were unable to provide a specific timeframe.

The wait for the announcement has now also become linked to the Prime Minister’s upcoming visit to the United States. The government has said that Tarique Rahman will travel to New York to participate in the high-level events of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly.

Another BNP source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said there is still a chance to announce the new committee before the Prime Minister’s departure for the United States. If a decision is not reached before the trip, the committee could be announced after he returns to the country.

Asked about the matter, Chhatra Dal General Secretary Nasir Uddin told Prothom Alo on Saturday night, “We hope the new committee will be formed as soon as possible. Until the new committee is formed, we are continuing our organisational activities as usual.”