Recent disputes may postpone full committee formation

Following recent factional clashes, the Bangladesh Chhatra League‍‍`s Dhaka University unit may have to wait for a full-fledged committee, according to its officials and activists.

The committee was scheduled to be formed this week.

One faction favors Sheikh Wali Asif Enan, General Secretary of the Chhatra League central committee, while the other supports Tanbir Hasan Shaikat, General Secretary of DU Chhatra League.

On Thursday night, two groups of the ruling party‍‍`s student wing at DU began fighting with one another, which centered on a concert at Jagannath Hall, injuring at least 14 people.

One of them, Apurba Chakrabarty, was hit in the head and was being treated in the Intensive Care Unit of a private hospital in Dhaka around 10 pm yesterday. 

The dispute broke out again at Madhu‍‍`s Canteen on Friday afternoon, creating  panic among general students on the campus.

Such conflicts between groups led by top Chhatra League leaders at the university are not unusual. At least 10 people were injured as conflicts erupted in June of last year. Similar conflicts were rported after the Chhatra League‍‍`s DU committee was announced the last time.

On December 20, 2022, the Chhatra League declared its partial committee, with Mazharul Kabir Shayan serving as president and Tanbir Hasan Shaikat as General Secretary.

The committee‍‍`s tenure ended on December 20, last year. It also failed to announce the complete committee, which included 121 people.

However, the partial committee is now functioning under a 90-day extension of its term approved by the Chhatra League‍‍`s central executive committee.

Speaking about the stressful scenario centered on rivalry, an anonymous Chhatra League leader suggested that the faction leaders may have wicked intentions and are purposely delaying the establishment of a complete committee.

“Maybe they are not happy with the process,” he said.

Another Chhatra League leader, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said that, in addition to his fellow organization members, outsiders were involved in the conflicts at Jagannath Hall.

“It indicates the strong possibility of a deliberate engineering of the brawl in a bid to defer the new DU Chhatra League committee’s formation,” he said. 

Meanwhile, a leader on the central committee expressed concern about the conflicts and the delay in establishing a complete committee at DU.

“The deferral is also frustrating the post-seekers and dedicated members of the organization at DU,” he said.

Despite the concern about the delay, Chhatra League President Saddam Hussain does not believe the clashes will result in a situation like this.

“The committee at DU will be announced promptly,” he told this correspondent, without mentioning any specific date. 

Instead, he reiterated: “It will be done quickly.”

Enan, Shaikat, and Mazharul Kabir Shayan, President of the DU Chhatra League, all reiterated Saddam‍‍`s remarks, dismissing the possibility of a delay in appointing a full committee at the university.