Realigning with NCP roots, student group BGCS renames itself as ‘Jatiya Chhatra Shakti’

Eight months after its formation, the Bangladesh Ganatantrik Chhatra Sangsad (BGCS) has renamed itself "Jatiya Chhatra Shakti", unveiling a new motto as part of its reorganisation strategy.

The organisation announced the change at a meeting held on Thursday at the Abu Sayed Convention Hall near the InterContinental hotel intersection in Dhaka, reports bdnews24.com.

Alongside its new name, the group has adopted a new motto, replacing “Shikkha, Oikko, Mukti” (Education, Unity, Liberation) with “Student First, Bangladesh First”.

Although the group was expected to announce a new committee during the event, no such announcement was made.

BGCS was originally launched on Feb 25 this year. Its leaders and activists said the reorganisation was intended to avoid internal conflict, disorder, and the setbacks seen during the Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (DUCSU) elections.

Although its affiliation with leaders of the National Citizen Party (NCP) -- a platform led by front-line organisers of the July Uprising -- led to the group being widely viewed as the youth-led party's student affiliate, BGCS members maintained that it was an independent body. Now, they say they are reorganising under the name of the NCP’s former student wing, Chhatra Shakti.

Among those present at Thursday’s meeting were NCP Member Secretary Akhter Hossen, Chief Organiser for the Southern Region Hasnat Abdullah, Chief Organiser for the Northern Region Sarjis Alam, and Senior Joint Convenor Ariful Islam Adib.

“We must implement the July Charter at any cost. The NCP will only sign once there is a full guarantee of its implementation. After the signing, two sides have emerged -- one that wants to withdraw their signature, and the other that wants to seal it permanently,” Akhter said at the meeting.

He added that during the Awami League’s rule, the Chhatra League had created a "culture of fear" on university campuses. Akhter urged student leaders of the Chhatra Sangsad to remain vocal so that no one could again establish “guest rooms” or “mass rooms”.

“The people of the country were not satisfied with the July Charter either. It was made to serve the expectations of a particular political group,” said Hasnat.