As the Jubo League celebrates its 42nd founding anniversary today, hundreds of billboards across the capital are publicising the occasion - but mostly at the expense of others.

Billboard owners are counting losses as the pro-Awami League youth body hardly bothers to pay for using the hoardings or replacing the existing advertisements.

According to the Billboard Owners Association (BOA), the Jubo League has "hijacked" about 75 percent of their billboards.

"Nobody sought our permission to use our billboards and we have nothing to do but see those hijacked," Shahidul Islam, treasurer of BOA told The Daily Star.

This, however, is nothing new.

The ruling party and its front organisations also had grabbed billboards earlier on several occasions, said another top BOA official. "They barely seek permission, let alone pay for it."

Even, the owners have to pay ruling party leaders of the areas concerned for removing the banners from the hoardings after the events, he added.

The BOA says there are around 2,500 billboards in the capital and they have to pay the city corporations Tk 150 per square feet, plus 15 percent VAT.

The Daily Star correspondents on Sunday night visited different parts of the capital and noticed Jubo League's campaign, especially in Dhanmondi Farmgate, Bijoy Sarani and Mirpur Road areas. Agargaon Jubo League leader Md Masum was found busy hanging up a large banner on a billboard just opposite the IDB building.

He claimed they paid the owner an "honorarium" to hire the hoarding for 15 days. But he refused to mention the amount and name of the owner.

Some take it as an easy way to publicise themselves. Banners, festoons and posters flooding the capital bear portraits of Jubo League men - from unit to central committee leaders. For this, they use utility poles, roadside space, road divider, foot bridges and buildings by main thoroughfares.

In some cases, petty leaders got more prominence than Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina or Jubo League founding chairman Sheikh Fazlul Haque Moni.

The Jubo League also has built bamboo-made arches at different points, especially all entrances to the capital, obstructing traffic. City corporation officials say none took permission for this.

Contacted Ansar Ali Khan, chief executive officer of Dhaka South City Corporation, said they would

take measures to remove those illegal arches soon.

Jubo League men have also grabbed several billboards in Chittagong to mark the anniversary, reports our correspondent.

Other divisional headquarters, however, were spared this nuisance as the organisation's central leaders have instructed those local units to focus on bringing activists and supporters to the "Jubo Jagoron” programme in the capital on November 15.

Top Jubo League leaders claim they have formed a committee to check irregularities regarding the anniversary celebration. The committee was yet to receive any complaint, they said.

About the grabbing of billboards in the capital, Jubo League chief Omar Faruk said they did not ask anyone to carry out campaign in this manner.

"Jubo league men have done this on their own. Some of them have launched aggressive campaigns just to come to limelight; this is embarrassing," he said.

"We have already given instructions for removal of all those banners and such other publicity materials after November 16."