EC asks 3 parties to explain status of student bodies

The Election Commission has asked three political parties to notify the commission about the affiliation with their respective student organisations.
The EC Thursday issued letters to the political parties in this regard mentioning some press reports and speech of the leaders of the Awami League, the BNP and the Jamaat-e-Islami.
The letters issued from the office of the deputy secretary of the EC secretariat, Jesmin Tuli, was addressed to the general secretaries of the political parties asking them to inform the commission about the press reports immediately.
It also reminded the political parties of section 90B of the Representation of the People Order (Amendment) Act 2009.
The section prohibits formation of any organisation or body as its affiliated or associated body consisting to the teachers or students of any educational institution or the employees or labourers of any financial, commercial or industrial institution or establishment or the members of any other profession.
In the letter sent to the Awami League general secretary, Syed Ashraful Islam, the EC letter said according to the section 25 (1) of the party constitution, the Bangladesh Chhatra League, Mohila League, Krishak League, Juba League, Swechhasevak League, Awami Ainjibi Parishad, Tanti League and Juba Mohila League should be associate organisations of the Awami League which would function as per their own constitution.
‘But, recent press report available from various dailies it was found that three Awami League leaders are looking into the organisational activities of Bangladesh Chhatra League, which is contrary to the Awami League’s own constitution,’ the letter said.
Accordingly, in the letter sent to the BNP secretary general, Khandaker Delwar Hossain, the EC said Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal and Sramik Dal supposed to function according to their own rules. But, recent newspapers report showed that some central BNP leaders are directly involved with the organisations to guide them.
The EC also mentioned the remarks of the BNP chairperson, Khaleda Zia, made at the founding anniversary function of the JCD at Engineers Institute on February 17, last when she mentioned JCD as a wing of the BNP.
The EC, in its letter to the secretary general of the Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh, Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujahid, said it was appeared from different recent press report that that Islami Chhtra Shibir was directly related to politics and the Jamaat-e-Islami was operating the ICS as one of its organisational wings.
The EC letter mentioned that amir of the Jamaat-e-Islami, Matiur Rahman Nizami, attended the last working committee meeting of the ICS as the chief guest and the new committee of the ICS was announced in his presence.
Besides, the statement of some ICS leaders who recently steeped down from the party also came up with the fact that ICS is being operated by the advice of the secretary general of the Jamaat-e-Islami, which is clearly a violation of the registration rules.

Courtesy of BSS via NewAgebd