Sohag, Jakir BCL president, secy

Saifur Rahman Sohag and Jakir Hossain have been elected president and general secretary respectively of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL), the student wing of Awami League, at its 28th council. BCL chief election commissioner Sumon Kundu announced the results around 8:00pm on Sunday after counting votes. Sohag secured 2690 votes while Jakir bagged 2675 votes, out of a possible 2819. As per the BCL’s constitution, the new president and general secretary will lead the country’s oldest student organisation for next two years. The voting started at 11.00am and ended at 6.00pm at the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh where 2819 councilors from 110 organisational districts exercised their franchise. Ten candidates vied for the post of president while 18 for the post of general secretary. Hailing from Madaripur district, Sohag was environment affairs secretary of the BCL’s immediate past committee while Jakir Hossain was assistant secretary. Jakir hails from Moulvibazar district. Sohag was a student of Linguistics department of Dhaka University and Jakir was a student of DU’s political science department. They were both involved with BCL politics at Muktijoddha Ziaur Rahman Hall. Though the top leadership of the country’s oldest student body used to be selected by the party high commands, this time it has been elected through the direct votes of the councilors, after a late announcement by Awami League President Sheikh Hasina on the first day of the two-day council at historic Suhrawardy Uddayan, according to a news agency.

- mbz