A year ago, there was no visible presence of Islami Chhatra Shibir in Jahangirnagar University.
Their politics was almost non-existent.
But then the July uprising happened. The organisation – once shunned to the recesses of memory – began surfacing, bit by bit.
They called for programmes, one after another.
Then on 29 October, Shibir announced a three-member partial committee for the university, sparking denoucements and protests.
By January, for the first time, Chhatra Shibir announced a full-fledged committee.
It was as many had earlier suspected: Shibir had always been present, even if clandestinely.
Thirty-five years earlier, on August 26, 1989, a clash broke out between Chhatra Dal and Chhatra Shibir on the university campus.
In the clash, then–assistant general secretary of the university Chhatra Dal, Habibur Rahman Kabir, was killed.
Afterward, the student organisations active at the university declared Shibir's politics socially banned on the campus.
The revival in January was just the start.
In the Jahangirnagar University Central Students' Union (JUCSU) election, Chhatra Shibir has become the first organisation to announce a full panel.
The panel announced by Shibir for JUCSU has been named the "Combined Students' Alliance."
Of the 25 members of the panel, the organisation has said not all are connected with Shibir's politics.
Ten are involved with Shibir, while the other 15 have been described as members of different "social organisations" and "general students."
This claim, however, has not gone down well.
Even now, the panel itself is suspect: Not everyone is a Shibir activist, the student wing claims.
And this brings up the age-old question: Is Shibir falling back into its pattern of suspicious secrecy?
'Were in touch even if not openly active'
Speaking to Stream, Jahangirnagar University Chhatra Shibir president Mohibur Rahman Mohib said even though they could not carry out activities openly before, they maintained communication among themselves.
Those who were involved with Shibir before admission to the university kept in contact with each other after enrolling.
However, with the public announcement of Shibir's committee and their declaration of a JUCSU panel, the discussion of "covert politics" on campus has resurfaced.
Leaders of other student organisations have said not all of Shibir's leaders and activists have come out in the open.
"Shibir was banned on campus for a long time. They worked inside organisations like Chhatra League. In JUCSU, no matter what name they give their panel, they will be considered Shibir. Because Shibir has not yet completely come out in the open. They have not revealed everyone's identities."
They were exerting influence under the banners of various social organisations, they claimed.
Leaders and activists of active student organisations at the university also claimed that Shibir had already established dominance and organised under the banners of different social and cultural organisations.
Because of this covert politics, they were able to announce a panel so quickly — something that has now become fairly clear, according to some student leaders at the university.
Students say most of those in Shibir's committee and those newly-included in the JUCSU panel were or are members of those social and cultural organisations, which themselves served as feeder groups for Shibir.
Secret affiliations the biggest concern
After the uprising, the first announced Shibir committee president was Harunur Rashid Rafi, a former student of the Archaeology Department.
He was a cadet of the Bangladesh National Cadet Corps (BNCC) with the rank of corporal.
The secretary of that committee (now president) Mohibur Rahman Mohib was a senior rover mate of the Rover Scout Group. The publicity secretary, Abdullah Al Mamun Saki, was the treasurer of Rover Scouts.
None were open Shibir activists, but were connected through the Rover Scout group.
This is, many claim, the Shibir model.
Speaking to Stream, Jahangirnagar University Chhatra Dal convener Zohir Uddin Babor said, "Shibir was banned on campus for a long time. They worked inside organisations like Chhatra League. In JUCSU, no matter what name they give their panel, they will be considered Shibir. Because Shibir has not yet completely come out in the open. They have not revealed everyone's identities."
He described this as a kind of "hypocrisy."
During the Awami League era, Shibir had no opportunity for open politics. So their "covert politics" could be tolerated, Abu Touhid Md Siam, a JUCSU general secretary (GS) candidate, said.
"Because the VP candidate of their JUCSU panel is not in their committee. Since Shibir has continued covert politics even after the uprising, we assume that not all their members' identities are yet public."
But the fact that they are still not fully coming out into the open even now has been described as a problem for the entire country's political sphere, he added.
"We knew that Shibir activists were in various organisations. But not revealing affiliations even now is a problem. For this reason, mistrust has developed toward them. Shibir should bring into the open all their previous committees and currently active members," he said.
Jahangirnagar University Chhatra Union president Adri Onkur told Stream: "According to Shibir's own statement, they had long been doing covert politics as a political strategy. As a result, we saw Shibir's presence in various social organisations, as well as even in the banned organisation Chhatra League. After 5 August, the situation changed. But we still see Shibir resorting to covert politics."
He said now Shibir's influence on various social organisations had also become clear.
Meanwhile, Shibir President Mohibur emphasised that being part of different organisations was normal.
"As a legitimate student, anyone can join any organisation. If a student can do good work there, of course he will join. There is nothing wrong with that."
Covert positioning, again
From the "Combined Students' Alliance" panel, Shibir leaders will contest the two top JUCSU positions.
Pharmacy Department 47th batch student Arifullah Adib will contest for vice president (VP).
But it is noted that in January's 17-member full committee of JU Shibir, Adib's name was not included.
Bangladesh Ganatantrik Chhatra Sangshad (BAGCHAS) member-secretary Siam said they did not know before the panel announcement that Arifullah Adib was linked with Shibir's politics.
"This means that apart from the VP candidate, some of the other candidates presented as general students might also be from Shibir," he said.
The current general secretary of JU Shibir's committee is Philosophy Department 47th batch student Mostafizur Rahman.
He has been accused of previously working with Chhatra Dal.
In a photo of Chhatra Dal leaders and activists taken by former JU Chhatra Dal general secretary Abdur Rahim Soikot, Mostafiz can also be seen.
Stream reached out to Mostafiz and Soikot for comments, but they could not be reached.
In the same photo, Shibir member and JUCSU assistant general secretary (AGS) candidate Firdous Al Hasan can also be seen.
Firdous was former president of JU Rover Scouts, alongside being part of other social organisatins.
Speaking to Stream, Firdous said, "That photo was from my first year. We couldn't speak during the fascist era. But we were always active against fascism. We had contact with all anti-fascist sides. That was a part of it. It was not any Chhatra Dal meeting. The brothers knew I was in Shibir at the time."
In this regard, JU Shibir President Mohib said: "As fellow students of the same university, they may have taken the photo out of courtesy."
He also said someone cannot become a Shibir just by being given the tag.
"The allegations are not true. The panel has been made with general students, there has been no resort to so-called covert politics."
Who is in Shibir's panel
Shibir's current office and publicity secretary and JUCSU GS candidate, Majharul Islam, was a sergeant, cadet under officer (CUO), and in-charge of the university BNCC platoon.
He was also a member of Jahangirnagar University Debate Organisation (JUDO) and JU Press Club.
Alongside Firdous contesting for AGS (male), AGS (female) candidate is Ayesha Siddika Meghla, a 48th batch Philosophy student.
She was former vice president of JU Press Club and a member of an anti-rape platform.
Education and research secretary candidate is Pharmacy Department 47th batch student Abu Ubaida Usama.
No organisational affiliation has been found for him.
The candidate for the post of environment and nature conservation secretary is Shibir's planning and development secretary Safayet Mir.
He is president of the school for underprivileged children, Tori, and co-head of research and development at JU Science Club.
Literature and publications secretary candidate is JU Rover Scout president Zahidul Islam Bappi, who was also a co-coordinator of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement.
For the post of cultural secretary, the candidate is Computer Science and Engineering student Shahriar.
He is an organiser of the Revolutionary Cultural Forum and associated with blood donors' organization Badhan, the Science Club, and BNCC.
Assistant cultural secretary candidate Raihan Uddin, however, is linked with Shibir.
He is JU Shibir's human rights secretary.
He was also injured in the July uprising and is the joint general secretary of Tori, and former treasurer of the Quran and Cultural Club.
Drama secretary candidate is Ruhul Islam, a 51st batch student of Drama and Dramatics. No organizational affiliation has been found for him.
Sports secretary candidate is branch Shibir member Shafizuzzaman Shahin, who was also former in-charge of JU BNCC platoon.
The president of Kurigram District Student Welfare Council, Shahin was also associated with the Science Club and Badhan.
Assistant sports secretary (male) candidate is Mahadi Hasan, JU Shibir's literature and sports secretary.
Assistant sports secretary (female) candidate Lubna is a former co-in-charge of BNCC.
IT and library secretary candidate is branch Shibir's student welfare secretary Rashedul Islam Likhan, and assistant cultural secretary candidate is branch Shibir's human rights secretary Raihan Uddin.
Social service and human development secretary candidate is Ariful Islam, JU Shibir's research secretary. He was former vice president of Rotaract Club. He was also involved with Tori, the Science Club, and PDF.
Assistant social service and human development secretary candidate is JU Shibir's student welfare secretary Md. Touhid Hasan. He was former social service secretary of Rover Scouts and publication secretary of Science Club.
Health and food security secretary candidate is Hosne Mobarak, secretary of Consumer Youth Bangladesh's (CYB) JU branch.
Transport and communications secretary candidate is Tanvir, secretary of JU Rover Scouts. He is also convener of Safe Roads Current he vice president of Environment Forum JU and Dhaka District Student Welfare Association.
Executive member candidate Fabliha Jahan is publicity secretary of Quran Club and also a representative of the Finance Department's student union.
Contesting for the same post is Nabila Binte Harun, also a member of Quran Club and of HDC.
Law Department students Nusrat Jahan, Abu Talha, Tarikul, and Mohsin are also contesting as members.
The JU unit Shibir's human resource development secretary Rakibul Islam is also contesting as an executive member.
JU Chhatra Union president Adri Onkur has said Shibir's panel has made clear that not all their leaders and activists' identities have been revealed.
"Because the VP candidate of their JUCSU panel is not in their committee. Since Shibir has continued covert politics even after the uprising, we assume that not all their members' identities are yet public," he said.
Democratic Student Union's JU branch member-secretary and JUCSU GS candidate Touhid Md Siam has said: "It is very important to know the political ideology of the person I am voting for. If someone is in Shibir but hides that identity and contests in the election, then that is outright deception. Shibir may have done this in JUCSU."
Chhatra Dal convener Zohir Uddin Babor said: "Even though Shibir's panel is presented under the name of general students, we will still consider them as Shibir. Because they have not yet come fully into the open. We believe that students will not choose Shibir in the JUCSU election, ignoring this deception."
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