A 26 December 2000 India Abroad News Service report states that, following the decision made by BNP party chief Khaleda Zia to unilaterally remove all members of the Jatiyatabadi Chattra (Chhatra) Dal (JCD) central committee and to nominate Nasiruddin Pintu and Shahabuddin Laltu as the new JDC president and general secretary, JCD activists set fire to their central office and the BNP office, and attacked the residence of a senior BNP official. They also shot and injured the new joint secretary and threatened to kill the BNP assistant office secretary Zahiruddin Swapan (ibid.). The activists also "staged demonstrations at various educational institutions, fired gunshots, exploded bombs and put up road barricades..." (ibid.).

A 10 January 2001 Daily Star report states that JCD dissident leaders, under "severe pressure" from BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia, have recognized the new JCD central committee led by Pintu and Laltu, and called off futher agitation aimed at the new committee.

A 2 January 2001 Daily Star report quotes "JCD insiders" as saying that "musclemen and identified terrorists" had been given preference in the formation of the new JCD central committee and JCD units on Dhaka University campus. The article also states that:

Problems in JCD began after formation of its central body with Shahiduddin Chowdhury Annie [Anne] and Habi-un-Nabi Sohel as president and general secretary respectively in 1996. Both Anne and Sohel were non-students then.

Nasiruddin Ahmed Pintu who was then vice-president of JCD began conspiracy against the Anne-Sohel committee as he was sidelined because of allegation of criminal activities against him.

Pintu, who allegedly masterminded some terrorist activities at DU and some other educational institutions in the city, enjoyed blessings of some BNP high-ups, the insiders said.

Pintu succeeded in getting the Annie-Sohel committee dissolved by BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia in 1998. He also managed formation of a new central committee and to capture the post of general secretary. Sohel was made president of the new committee. This frustrated most of the JCD activists.

Sohel had started student politics as an armed cadre of the then Illius group, which mostly comprised non-students and alleged criminals.

With support from some BNP hardliners, Pintu then tried to establish his supremacy in JCD only for his personal gains.

Pintu developed good relations with Khaleda Zia's private secretary Mosaddek Hossain Falu and managed to induct all his men into the JCD central committees. Even his 'bodyguards' and a peon at the JCD central office became members of the central committee, the insiders said.

The dedicated workers rejected the 205-member Sohel-Pintu committee, formed mostly with musclemen, non-students and "identified terrorists", they said.

A 19 January 2001 Daily Star report, which provides a history of student politics in Bangladesh since independence, states that:

A qualitative change has taken place in the student politics during the last two decades. Now it is not regarded as a noble pursuit for the cause of nation rather it has been an income generating endeavour. It has become a profitable concern that requires no capital. Now-a-days income of a mid-level student leader is said to have been more than that of a medium industrialist. There are exceptions. But some student leaders have already amassed a stupendous fortune even before completion of their academic career. Extortion, toll collection etc have allegedly been the source of income of many a student leader. Businessmen and traders fear the so called student leaders often more than the Azrail the angel of death. Student leaders do not wait for any occasion to extort money from the traders but ahead of any festival they become more active. A report published in The Daily Star said, "Different factions of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) and Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD), student wings of ruling Awami League and opposition BNP, respectively, are now busy collecting tolls from city markets for Eid-ul-Fitr and New Year celebration.... Leaders of BCL and their counterparts in JCD are going to shop-owners asking for money for the celebrations. Sometimes, they send representatives to the shop-owners to collect toll, insiders said." The report further said, "The BCL factions are also consolidating their position on the campus... since a good position... always helps a leader or a group grab tender and collect toll." To the utter surprise of the conscious section of the society, this has become the order of the day.

A 13 March 2001 Daily Star report states that both the JCD and the BCL were consolidating their positions on the Dhaka University campus, with the coming of the general elections. The report also states that:

According to campus sources, the JCD is planning to regain their dominance at the DU [Dhaka University] while the BCL is determined to foil any such move.

At present, all the residential halls are currently under the BCL's control. It established absolute supremacy on the campus after Awami League came to power in 1996.

On the other hand, the JCD, which suffered a serious setback within the organisation after its leaders and workers were ousted from the DU campus in 1997, are regrouping.

All the DU halls, except Jagannath Hall, were in the grip of the JCD during the BNP regime. But the BCL started their hall-occupying mission immediately when the AL took over. After a series of armed clashes, killings and bloodshed, they managed to capture all the halls displacing JCD activists along the way.

The JCD loyalists, however, are returning to the campus from January following the formation of a new elected body.

The JCD is now frequently organising various programmes, including processions and rallies on the campus with a view to revitalise their position. And it wants to be at full strength before the showdown with the BCL.

Its leaders at a press conference in the city recently demanded immediate rehabilitation of all the ousted and displaced activists to their respective halls.

"We want to see all the ousted JCD leaders and workers rehabilitated in their halls as per the tripartite agreement with the authorities and the BCL in 1997," said Shahabuddin Laltu, the general secretary of JCD.

The deal never bore fruits allegedly because of the BCL's non-co-operation.

JCD also placed their demand before the DU Vice Chancellor Professor AK Azad Chowdhury when its leaders met him last week.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the additional list of sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

The Daily Star [Dhaka]. 13 March 2001. Vol. 3, No. 545. Abul Kalam Azad. "Pre-polls Showdown at DU Feared BCL, JCD Busy Consolidating Positions." (NEXIS)

_____. 19 January 2001. Vol. 3, No. 496. Syed Abul Maksud. "Student Politics: Lost in the Abyss?" (NEXIS)

_____. 10 January 2001. Vol. 3, No. 487. "Dissident JCD Leaders Yield to Khaleda's Wishes." (NEXIS)

_____. 2 January 2001. Vol. 3, No. 479. "Frustrated JCD Workers Allege Identified Terrorists Favoured, Dedicated Activists Ignored." (NEXIS)

India Abroad News Service. 26 December 2000. Ershadul Huq. "BNP Student Activists Torch Office Over Khaleda Move." http://www.indiaabroaddaily.com/2000/12/26/26bnp.html [Accessed 6 Apr. 2001]

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