Tainted, yet inducted into JU BCL

Abdur Rahim Jewel was arrested in a land grabbing case in September 2015 and spent a couple of days in jail. He was then deputy information and communications secretary of Jahangirnagar University unit of BCL.

SM Sharif Ahmed, an office secretary of a hall unit, was suspended by the university authorities for his alleged involvement in forgery in last year's university admission test and subsequently, he was suspended from the organisation.

Yet, Jewel became joint secretary and Sharif deputy environmental affairs secretary of the BCL unit when its new committee was announced on Friday.

Like Jewel and Sharif, several other controversial leaders and activists got promoted to higher positions.

Sajib Kumar Saha, ex-international affairs secretary, who was caught on video taking heroin in his dormitory last year, was made joint secretary.

Besides, at least 10 BCL members previously involved in beating up journalists and students, some 20 activists having no studentship and several others suspended on several occasions for anti-organisational activities got positions in the committee, according to insiders.

Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL), a pro-ruling Awami League student body, in a press release named Jewel Rana and SM Abu Sufian Chanchal president and general secretary of the university unit on December 27 last year. Its council was held in November.

Contacted, Sufian claimed they had thoroughly checked track records of the leaders before picking them for the posts. "We have tried to choose leaders with clean image and those who have dedication for the organisation," he added.

On Friday, the JU BCL president and general secretary in a press release declared the 214-member committee, the biggest ever in recent time. The last one comprised 161 members.

The new committee includes 44 vice-presidents, nine joint secretaries, nine organising secretaries, 53 assistant secretaries, 27 executive members, and one publicity and one office secretary having two assistants each.