Jatiya Chhatra Shakti (JCS), the student wing of the National Citizens’ Party (NCP), elected Abu Baker Mojumder as its new president and Tahmid Al Muddassir Chowdhury as general secretary at its first council on the Dhaka University campus on Saturday.
Baker, the organisation’s former general secretary, was elected president of the central committee, while Tahmid, former president of the JCS DU unit, was named general secretary. Abu Touhid Mohammad Siam was elected organisational secretary.
At the DU unit, Hasib Al-Islam was elected president, Ferdous Aiyam general secretary and Md Johir Raihan Ripon organisational secretary.
The results were announced by Al Amin Sarkar, chief commissioner of the council and outgoing general secretary of the JCS DU unit. He also headed the preparatory and election committees.
NCP Convener and Opposition Chief Whip Nahid Islam attended the council as chief guest, along with NCP lawmakers and senior leaders.
Addressing a rally at DU’s Bottola following the council, Nahid said the mass uprising had brought a change of regime, but its aspirations and popular demands had yet to be fully realised.
Criticising the BNP-led government, he alleged that the administration had returned to what he described as an “old, undemocratic style” of governance, particularly on university campuses.
Nahid also warned against any attempt to rehabilitate the banned Chhatra League, saying student politics must prevent a return to what he described as a culture of “terror and occupation” on campuses.
“We fought for democratic campuses and against fascism and the ‘guestroom’ culture throughout our university life,” he said, adding that JCS would carry forward the legacy of the Ganatantrik Chhatra Sangsad and Anti-Discrimination Student Movement.
He urged JCS leaders and activists to continue working for reform, justice and what he termed an anti-hegemonic political agenda.
Nahid also demanded the immediate release of Sifat Abdullah, an Adamjee Cantonment College student recently detained under the Anti-Terrorism Act over alleged derogatory remarks about the prime minister in connection with rising electricity bills.
He questioned the use of the anti-terror law against the student, saying authorities could disagree with Sifat’s remarks without resorting to such legislation. He also criticised the college’s decision to issue Sifat a show-cause notice and begin an expulsion process.
The day-long council began with registration at 9am, followed by voting from 10am to noon. A discussion session was held in the afternoon, followed by a rally and cultural programme in the evening.
The council marked the organisation’s first since it was renamed Jatiya Chhatra Shakti last year. It was previously known as Bangladesh Ganatantrik Chhatra Sangsad.
NCP Member Secretary and MP Akhtar Hossain, Chief Coordinator Nasiruddin Patwary, Northern Region Chief Organiser Sarjis Alam, Joint Convener Ali Ahsan Zunaid and Jatiya Jubo Shakti Convener Advocate Md Tariqul Islam, among others, addressed the rally.