A commotion is brewing within the Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal following its humiliating defeats in the central student union elections at all four autonomous universities across the country.
The series of setbacks has deeply frustrated the central leadership of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), as it is seen as an indicator of national political trends, especially in light of the upcoming parliamentary elections.
The top leadership of JCD – a student body backed by the BNP – now faces the risk of being shown the door this month.
“The top brass may take a decision in this regard within a week or two,” said a central leader of the JCD, whishing not be named.
JCD-backed panels suffered humiliating defeats in Ducsu and Jucsu elections in mid-September — the first major democratic exercises since the fall of the Awami League government, which had been blamed for denying people the right to exercise their franchise for more than one and a half decades.
The latest defeats in the Cucsu and Rucsu elections last week have added insult to injury.
Insiders blame weak leadership for such debacles within the JCD, particularly its failure to highlight its role during the July Uprising that toppled Sheikh Hasina’s administration.
“The way Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal panels have faced humiliating defeats in central student union elections at four major universities reflects poorly on the top leadership. Thousands of activists cannot take the matter lightly,” a central leader told TIMES of Bangladesh, wishing to remain anonymous.
Insiders also hold the incumbent leadership responsible for not involving its leaders and activists in policymaking decisions and election-related strategies.
Some cracks have already appeared within the JCD, as many leaders face backlash from various parts of society, they say.
Islami Chhatra Shibir, the student wing of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, emerged as the primary rival in the elections due to the absence of the banned Bangladesh Chhatra League, the student wing of the Awami League.
Contesting the elections, Shibir-backed panels won nearly all the posts by a significant margin in the central student union elections at Dhaka University, Jahangirnagar University, Chittagong University, and Rajshahi University.
The morale of JCD leaders has been shaken, as Shibir, which dares to organise processions on campuses, is now leading all youth-based political organisations.
JCD activists note that Shibir’s leaders and activists appeared to be better prepared and more strategic in their engagement with general students than their JCD counterparts.
Amid growing dissatisfaction, many central leaders have urged the BNP’s top brass to hold the council session immediately to revitalise organisational activities and bring dynamism to the student body.
Sources within the JCD say at least 40 aspirants have started efforts to secure one of the top two posts.
Raising voices against the incumbent leadership, many have started visiting the BNP chairperson’s Gulshan office and urging senior leaders to take immediate measures to strengthen the student wing before the national elections slated for February next year.
Talking to TIMES, some leaders alleged that the president and general secretary of the JCD made key decisions on the elections by consulting only a few leaders from their blocks.
They claimed that the probable candidates for the Ducsu election were informed just two weeks before the vote, and a similar situation unfolded at other universities as well.
They also underscored the need for discussions with former leaders who had won the Ducsu election in the 1990s from the JCD panel. However, the incumbent leadership did not take any action in this regard, they said.
Some leaders warn that if the growing commotion is not addressed before the national elections, it could have a negative impact on grassroots activists.
When asked about the growing commotion, JCD General Secretary Nasir Uddin Nasir avoided a direct answer.
“All I can say for now is that we will hold organisational meetings soon after the elections to address these issues,” Nasir told TIMES.
Asked about the possibility of a council session, he said the matter has not yet been officially discussed with the top brass of the BNP.
“We welcome discussions on holding a council session and want a smooth transition of leadership as soon as possible,” he said.
According to the JCD constitution, a new committee is supposed to be formed every two years.
The last council session of the JCD was held in September 2019, after 27 years. Kazi Rownakul Islam Srabon and Saif Mohammad Jewel were elected as president and general secretary, respectively.
The current committee was formed on 1 March 2024, with Rakibul Islam Rakib as president and Nasir Uddin Nasir as general secretary.
Amid the sheer failure of the previous committee, BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman entrusted Rakib and Nasir with the responsibility of carrying out the job.
