Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday warned Bangladesh Chhatra League activists of stern action if anyone found involved in unlawful activities in the name of student politics and directed them to study hard and maintain ethics and principles to be future leaders.
"We will take stern action, as we did in the past, against the persons who will get involved in unlawful activities," she added.
"If there is an examination, stop organisational activities and concentrate on your studies to obtain good marks. Mind it, you are the future leaders of the country and you will have to build yourselves accordingly," she said while inaugurating the 27th national council of BCL, pro-Awami League (AL) student body.
Hasina, also president of ruling AL, inaugurated the two-day council by releasing balloons and pigeons at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre in the capital at around 11:30am. More than 10,000 leaders and workers from across the country, ministers, lawmakers, academicians and former BCL leaders joined the function amid huge enthusiasm.
However, the BCL is still in a dilemma over the age limit for electing its next leadership as the matter was not settled on the first day of its council.
This is the first time Hasina joined a formal programme of BCL, once AL's student wing, since she stepped down from the post of its organisational chief on March 31, 2009.
Addressing the function as the chief guest, Hasina said, "Work hard with ethics and principles and build the organisation."
Mentioning BCL's active role in the country's mass movements including the language movement and struggle for liberation, the AL chief said BCL would play a vital role in implementing the government's vision to build a "Digital Bangladesh" by 2021.
She also said tender bidding process is being digitalised so that student leaders cannot be involved in tender manipulation.
Hasina added, "Father of the nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman taught us politics of sacrifice, not enjoyment. You must follow his ideology." She also urged the BCL activists to be united to save the country from the clutch of anti-liberation elements.
Welcoming the BCL workers for making the council a success by defying hartal, she said they [hartal enforcers] would not call the strike if they felt any sense of shame.
AL presidium member Obaidul Quader, who was assigned to prepare the BCL for the council, said Chhatra League would run as per its constitution and the AL doesn't need to look after it. He asked the BCL men to restore the past glory of the country's oldest student body through good work.
The prime minister's son Sajeeb Wazed Joy, who was a guest at the council, said, "Chhatra League is our future. Hope you [BCL leaders] will take the country forward."
Nasim Al Momen Rupok, central office secretary of the BCL, read out a condolence proposal, while AL General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam, BCL leaders Mahfuzul Haider Chowdhury Roton, Hasanuzzaman Liton, Golam Sarwar Kabir, Awlad Hossain Titu, among others, spoke at the function chaired by BCL President Mahmud Hasan Ripon.
AGE LIMIT DILEMMA
Hasina yesterday did not make it clear that the new leadership would come within 29 years of age. She set the age limit in April 2006 with an aim to involve regular students in the student body.
Whether the new committee will follow the age limit or extend it by a couple of years remains a mystery among most BCL leaders.
"We thought we would get a clear message about the age limit from her [Hasina]," said a BCL central leader asking not to be named.
A powerful section of former BCL leaders, many of them are now in AL politics, are in favour of extension. They argue that the state of emergency during the last caretaker government rule deferred the council by two years.
"We tested and experienced leaders to be elected or selected as the next president and general secretary relaxing the age limit," said BCL organising secretary Khairul Hasan Jewel who was detained for at least six months during the caretaker rule.
However, the election commission formed to elect the new leadership has already distributed application forms for the posts of president and general secretary under the age limit of 29.
The present committee that was formed maintaining the 29 years age limit drew huge flak as several members were engaged in infighting, extortion, tender manipulation, admission manipulation and other unlawful activities after the government assumed office in January 2009.
Source : The Daily Star
