Jucsu VP Zitu joins BNP, several hall union leaders join Chhatra Dal
Zitu was elected Jucsu VP as a candidate of the Independent Students' Alliance panel
Abdur Rashid Zitu, vice-president (VP) of the Jahangirnagar University Central Students' Union (Jucsu), joined the BNP, while several leaders from different hall unions joined BNP's student wing Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) today (6 February).
The announcement was made at a press conference held at the BNP's central office in Nayapaltan.
Present at the joining ceremony were BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Advocate Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal Central President Rakibul Islam Rakib, Chhatra Dal Central Vice-President Touhidur Rahman Awal, and other central and university-level leaders.
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The ceremony was convened by Chhatra Dal Central General Secretary Nasir Uddin.
Speaking at the event, Nasir Uddin said, "Several student union elections have recently been held in Bangladesh. These elections were completed amid various obstacles, conspiracies and mismanagement. In some places, incidents of ballot paper fraud also occurred."
"Despite this, Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal has participated in all student union elections with the aim of building a merit-based student politics suited to the 21st century. We may not have achieved the expected results everywhere, but we have always played a positive role in advancing this democratic process to protect students' rights. We believe Chhatra Dal will bounce back and take part in any future student union elections with full preparation."
In his welcome speech, Zitu said, "Bangladesh is currently going through a changed political reality. On 11 September 2024, after 33 years, the historic student union election was held, where I was elected VP from the Independent Students' Alliance panel.
"I had pledged to pursue my future political journey with the party that carries the spirit of the 1952 Language Movement, the 1971 Liberation War, the 1990 anti-autocracy movement, and the 2024 anti-fascist mass uprising."
He added, "I believe the BNP embodies the spirit of these four movements, and there is no alternative to BNP in building a happy and prosperous Bangladesh. Pro-Bangladesh politics and the struggle to change the country's destiny are only possible through BNP.
"The pro-Bangladesh politics of martyred president Ziaur Rahman and the uncompromising struggle of Begum Khaleda Zia to restore democracy have deeply inspired us. I pay deep respect to all those who have sacrificed their lives, been disappeared or killed for the BNP. I respectfully remember martyred President Ziaur Rahman and uncompromising leader Begum Khaleda Zia. Upholding their ideals, I will work for the BNP to build a better Bangladesh in the days ahead."
It may be noted that in the 10th Jucsu election held on 11 September after a 33-year gap, Zitu was elected VP with 3,334 votes as a candidate of the Independent Students' Alliance panel. Out of the remaining 24 posts, candidates from the Islami Chhatra Shibir-backed panel, the Combined Students' Alliance, won 20.
Zitu is a student of the 2017-18 session at the Institute of Comparative Literature and Culture at Jahangirnagar University.
He hails from Gosairhat upazila in Shariatpur. He is also a former central coordinator of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement platform, which led the July mass uprising.
When the July movement began in 2024, he left the now banned Bangladesh Chhatra League. Before the movement, he served as an executive member of the university unit of Chhatra League and later sought the post of president of Al-Biruni Hall.
Several hall union representatives who joined Chhatra Dal today include Nawab Salimullah Hall VP Ibne Shihab; Al-Beruni Hall VP Rifat Ahmed Shakil; AFM Kamal Uddin Hall VP GMM Raihan Kabir; Rabindranath Tagore Hall VP Amit Bonik; Nawab Faizunnesa Hall VP Bubli Ahmed; Begum Khaleda Zia Hall VP Farzana Rithi; Mir Mosharraf Hall GS Sharian Nazim Riad; Shaheed Rafiq-Jabbar Hall GS Shariful Islam; and Shaheed Salam Barkat Hall VP Maruf Hasan.
Shaheed Salam Barkat Hall GS Masud Rana and AFM Kamal Uddin Hall AGS Ripon Mondol were absent from the conference and had joined Chhatra Dal earlier.
