The BNP’s student organisation, the Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal, has not organised any programme on the 40th anniversary of its formation. The party usually holds events to mark the occasion every year.
The doors of the organisation’s central office in Naya Paltan were found locked on the morning of their anniversary on Tuesday, reports bdnews24.com.
Former President Ziaur Rahman founded the Chhatra Dal on Jan 1, 1979.
Every year, the organisation places wreaths at the grave of its founder, holds discussion meetings, cuts a midnight cake, holds a children’s drawing competition and does many other activities on the anniversary. But a ban by the Election Commission has prevented them from arranging anything this year.
“There is a ban on meetings, rallies and processions for three days from the end of the parliamentary election. That is why our founding anniversary activities have been postponed. The programmes will be staged at a later date,” Chhatra Dal’s Central Office Secretary Abdus Sattar Patwary told bdnews24.com.
The BNP and Krishak Dal’s offices at Naya Paltan were open on Tuesday morning. BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi and BNP Vice-Chairman Shamsuzzaman Dudu were at their offices.
Shamsuzzaman Dudu expressed his regret for not having received any greetings from the Chhatra Dal leaders on its founding anniversary.
"Chhatra Dal is a proud organisation. I came here in the morning. I expected to be greeted by a Chhatra Dal leader in the New Year after coming to the office. I did not even receive a phone call. It is painful and sad,” he said.
When asked about the founding anniversary of Chhatra Dal, Ruhul Kabir Rizvi said, "I do not know if there is any programme taking place on the founding anniversary of Chhatra Dal. Last year a ceremony was held at this office at 12am on the founding anniversary.”
But Chhatra Dal’s President Rajib Ahsan and General Secretary Akramul Hasan congratulated and greeted the leaders and activists of the organisation in a statement on the occasion of the founding anniversary.