Chhatra Dal: List of 13 leaders on PM’s table, when will the committee be formed

A list of 13 leaders has been submitted to BNP Chairman and Prime Minister Tarique Rahman for the selection of the next top leadership of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal, according to multiple relevant sources.

Background checks regarding the political activities, family backgrounds and lifestyles of the potential leaders have also been conducted. There is speculation that five top leaders, including the organisation’s central president and general secretary, may be selected from this list.

This correspondent spoke to six leaders who are familiar with the process of forming the new Chhatra Dal committee and are involved in it. None could say for certain when the new committee would be announced. Their accounts had one thing in common--only the prime minister knows when the committee will be announced.

Meanwhile, new convening committees have been formed for BNP’s Dhaka north and south city units. The Dhaka north unit of Jubo Dal has also got new leadership. Efforts are underway to restructure the central committees of Jubo Dal and Swechchhasebak Dal.

However, no announcement has yet been made about the new leadership of Chhatra Dal, a key associate organisation of the BNP. As a result, those hoping to secure positions in the new committee are facing a prolonged wait.

The current central committee of Chhatra Dal was announced on 1 March, 2024, with Rakibul Islam as president and Nasir Uddin as general secretary.

On the night of 13 August, they paid a farewell visit to BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman at his political office in Gulshan. Three other top leaders of the central committee accompanied them.

After the meeting, President Rakibul Islam posted a message on Facebook that night hinting at his departure. “The best chapter of my life is coming to an end,” he wrote. He also expressed hope that everyone would warmly welcome the upcoming new committee.

The following morning, on 14 August, General Secretary Nasir Uddin wrote on Facebook, “Today is my last day serving as the general secretary of Chhatra Dal.”

The two posts raised expectations among the organisation’s leaders and activists that a new committee would be announced soon. But no announcement followed. As a result, the leaders who had prepared to step down have had to continue carrying out organisational activities.

A top leader of the current central committee, speaking to Prothom Alo on condition of anonymity, said, “We have already said our farewells and even posted status updates on Facebook. But the new committee is not being formed. What an insulting and humiliating situation we are in! No one is even listening to us!”

Several important sources at the Prime Minister’s Office said the CVs of potential candidates for the posts of president and general secretary had been submitted to the prime minister.

According to another source, intelligence agencies had conducted detailed inquiries into 13 leaders being considered for the top positions. Reports examining their past activities, their families’ political affiliations and their current lifestyles, among other matters, had been submitted to the prime minister’s office. However, details about the identities of the 13 leaders could not be obtained.

A source familiar with the matter said there are two differing views on the criteria for selecting the new leadership.

One influential group involved in policymaking favours forming the committee with regular students. Their argument is that regular students are taking leadership positions in other student organisations, and Chhatra Dal should also give importance to this.

Another group at the policy-making level, however, favours placing relatively senior and experienced leaders in the central leadership.

The failure to reach a decision between these two positions is one of the main reasons the committee formation process has stalled. However, no one has made an official statement on the matter.

A leader whose name is being discussed for a top post told Prothom Alo on condition of anonymity, “We are completely clueless about the new committee.”

He said those who were previously involved in the committee formation process could no longer give a clear idea of when it would be announced. Everyone says the prime minister knows best.

Apart from the delay in announcing the committee, the possibility that the central committees of Jubo Dal and Swechchhasebak Dal may be formed first is also worrying some Chhatra Dal leaders aspiring for top positions.

The leaders concerned said that in the past, some leaders who were left out of new Chhatra Dal committees were given responsibilities in Jubo Dal or Swechchhasebak Dal. This gave them an opportunity to remain involved in other BNP-affiliated organisations after their student politics ended.

If the committees of those two organisations are formed first this time, uncertainty may arise over where leaders who fail to secure positions in Chhatra Dal will be accommodated.

One leader aspiring for a post said maintaining communication with followers and sustaining organisational activities involved regular expenses. The prolonged wait was adding to that pressure.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, the leader also expressed concern about how he would manage his followers if he ultimately failed to secure a position in the committee.

Besides carrying out organisational activities at educational institutions, Chhatra Dal plays an important role in raising students’ demands and developing the party’s future leadership.

Several Chhatra Dal leaders said a prolonged wait for central leadership could shift the focus of aspiring candidates towards securing positions in the committee, instead of maintaining regular contact with students and carrying out organisational activities.

A top leader of the current committee stressed the need for a quick decision. He said supporters of ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina were trying to create instability by detonating crude bombs on different campuses.

In such a situation, he said, the uncertainty over leadership needed to be resolved so that Chhatra Dal leaders and activists could receive clear instructions and work in a coordinated manner.

Although no announcement has been made about the new committee, a daylong workshop for Chhatra Dal leaders will be held at the BNP office in Gulshan tomorrow, on Saturday, a top leader of the current central committee said.

Speaking to Prothom Alo on condition of anonymity, he said several top leaders of the central committee, presidents and general secretaries of Chhatra Dal units at all public universities and presidents and general secretaries of 10 metropolitan units were expected to attend.

They will be briefed on the promises made by the BNP before coming to power and the steps taken to implement them. They will then share the information with students at their respective campuses and units.

The leader said trainers would conduct different sessions at the workshop. Members of the cabinet are also expected to speak.

They have been informed that Prime Minister Tarique Rahman may attend in the afternoon and deliver guidance.

Several leaders involved in the Chhatra Dal committee formation process were approached for official comments. However, none agreed to make a formal statement.