72nd founding anniversary of BCL today
Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) is going to observe its 72nd founding anniversary today.
The student body -- formerly East Pakistan Student League -- was formed in 1948 under the leadership of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, then a student leader and law student of Dhaka University.
Since its inception, the organisation has made significant contributions to national events including the Language Movement in 1952, Mass Upsurge in 1969, Liberation War in 1971, and Anti-Autocracy Movement in 1990.
Marking the founding anniversary, a reunion is scheduled to be held at Suhrawardy Udyan this afternoon with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina as the chief guest.
Meanwhile, the student body has not invited its two top former leaders -- Rezwanul Haque Chowdhury Shovon and Golam Rabbani -- to the reunion.
“We have not invited them as per the instruction of AL high command,” said the organisation’s acting president Al-Nahean Khan Joy.
Shovon and Rabbani were removed from the posts of Chhatra League president and general secretary on September 14, 2019 for their controversial activities and alleged abuse of posts.
According to several media reports, the top leaders of BCL were removed after Jahangirnagar University Vice-Chancellor Prof Farzana Islam alleged that Shovon and Rabbani demanded “four to six percent” cut from a Tk 1,445-crore project at the university.
On December 17 last year, the organisation relieved 21 central executive committee members of their duties amid allegations that some members of the committee were involved in irregularities and misdeeds -- including not being enrolled in educational institutions, and engaging in extortion, drug dealing. Eleven other members of the central executive committee submitted resignation at different times.
Apart from the reunion, BCL has organised a three-day programme starting from today, according to a press release of the organisation.
Today’s programme will include hoisting the national and party flags at party offices at 6:30am, placing wreaths at the portrait of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at Dhanmondi-32 at 7am, and cutting a cake at 8am in Curzon Hall on DU campus.
Other programmes include a voluntary blood donation drive on January 6 at Aparajeyo Bangla on DU campus, distribution of educational materials on January 7 at the same venue and donating winter clothes among the destitute in front of Shoparjito Swadhinata sculpture on the campus at 4pm the same day.
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