Around three-fourths of the Jubo League leaders have been disqualified for continuing politics with the youth front of the ruling Awami League following fixing of the highest age for the organisation’s leaders and activists at 55 years.
Jubo League leaders and activists believe that the new age limit, determined at a meeting between Awami League President Sheikh Hasina and Jubo League presidium members on Sunday (Oct 20), will result in new polarisation in the organisation.
Sources said that after the fixing of the age limit at 55 years, Jubo League presidium members Mujibur Rahman and Faruque Hossain appealed for raising it arguing that the average life expectancy and quality of life of Bangladeshi people have increased.
Responding to the request, Awami League Advisory Council member Tofail Ahmed said, “The age of Jubo League leaders and activists should be like the age of youths. The leader (Sheikh Hasina) has fixed the age taking that into consideration.”
Sheikh Hasina, also the prime minister, told them, “Do you want to do Jubo League politics for your entire life. Everything should have an age limit. The age of Jubo League leaders and activists should not be over 55 years.”
She advised those ‘who have become old’ to go to districts where senior politicians are needed.
Sheikh Fazlul Haque Moni formed Jubo League on Nov 11, 1972 at the instruction of Father of the Nation Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. The constitution of the organisation approved by the first congress of Jubo League provided that the maximum age of the leaders and activists will be 35 years. But the age limit was not followed for a long time.
The Jubo League constitution passed in the sixth congress held in 2012 withdrew the age limit, creating a scope for anyone of any age to become leader or activist of the organization and virtually turning Jubo League an organisation of ‘old people’.
Sources said most of the 351 leaders in the central Jubo League committee are above 60 years of age with some even crossing 70 years.
The Jubo League presidium members crossing the 60 years of age include Dr Mizanur Rahman, Sheikh Shamsul Abedin, Chayan Islam, Dr Ahmed Al Kabir, Altaf Hossain Bacchu, Zahangir Kabir Rana, Sirajul Islam Mollah, Shahjahan Bhuiyan Makhon, Nikhil Guha and Syed Mahmudul Haque.