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A group of wayward BCL
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become necessary to stop the untoward incidents on campuses.
“Those who disrupt the educational environment will not be accommodated in any tier of Chhatra League. When an offense is committed, we see it as a demerit and there is no scope for patronising the offenders. We follow a zero-tolerance policy in this regard and we are working to bring such incidents down to zero,” he asserted.
This newspaper talked to the BCL president on some recent criminal activities and violence at educational institutions, including Islami University in Kushtia, Chittagong University and Rajshahi University.
Saddam, who became the president of the pro-Awami League student body about two months ago, maintained that the authorities of the educational institutions have to play a bigger role in ensuring a conducive academic environment.
“The administrators of educational institutions should act more boldly going beyond teachers’ politics to deal with incidents like clashes, physical or mental abuse of any student or academic disruptions...”
Once an offense is committed, the university administration concerned should take steps as per its law and disciplinary rules, he added.
Saddam, also the immediate past assistant general secretary of Dhaka University Central Students Union, cited some other reasons for those untoward incidents, including moral degradation, a lack of socio-cultural movement, organisational inactivity, and a lack of accountability in politics.
He also blamed educational institutions for not holding elections to students’ unions and urged them to conduct such polls regularly to create a congenial atmosphere on campuses and promote a culture of democracy.
“There is no alternative to holding student union elections for ensuring the rights of students,” he observed.
About allegations of reinstatement of expelled Chhatra League activists, Saddam said they have enough qualified members, and there will be no room for expelled activists in the organisation in future.
“We do not believe in the politics of denial of responsibilities. We want Chhatra League to be an organisation that would ensure accountability.”
He said Chhatra League will not be run only by the decisions of the president or general secretary. “Rather, the Central Executive Committee of the ogranisation will run the show.”
The Chhatra League chief said they want to form new unit committees through councils and by listening to the opinions of the grassroots.
The committees would consist of honest, dedicated, and student-friendly leaders and activists would be picked after a rigorous vetting of their families, educational, and political backgrounds, Saddam added.
He said the Chhatra League is not only focused on creating political leaders, but also on developing good human beings who would be responsible citizens of the country and would understand their responsibilities towards the people.
Regarding allegations that the central Chhatra League has no control over its grassroots and that local public representatives and Awami League leaders control its leaders, Saddam said Chhatra League is a large independent organisation. “The relationship between Chhatra League and Awami League is totally ideological.”
Asked whether student bodies lose their unique characteristics by working as “associate bodies” of ruling political parties, he said the Chhatra League has no links to state power.
He noted that the idea that a student organisation should have relations with a political party was initiated by BNP founder Ziaur Rahman, who used money and muscle power in student politics.
“Such elements still pose a challenge to mainstream student politics. Chhatra League is in a fight against this malice,” the BCL president said.

Russia summons
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prospects for Russia-Bangladesh cooperation in various spheres, read the statement.
An official of the Bangladesh foreign ministry confirmed the summoning to The Daily Star last night.
The development comes two days after equipment of the under-construction Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant was unloaded at Mongla Port.
Russia changed the name of a US-sanctioned ship Sparta III to “URSA MAJOR” and sent it towards Bangladesh with equipment for the power plant. The vessel was scheduled to reach Bangladesh on December 24.
However, Bangladesh did not allow the ship to unload the goods after the US embassy in Dhaka on December 20 informed the Bangladesh foreign ministry that the sanctioned Russian ship has changed its name.
The ship then went away without being able to offload the equipment and stayed in international waters of the Bay of Bengal.
Dhaka then conveyed to Moscow that Bangladesh will not accept the 69 Russian ships which are under sanctions from the US and the European Union following the Russia-Ukraine war.
Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen said Russia has thousands of ships and they can send any ship except those 69.