Chhatra Union leader appointed assistant press secretary to president

Kazi Rakib Hossain, a former student of the Department of Law at the University of Dhaka (DU) and former convener of the Bangladesh Chhatra Union’s DU unit, has been appointed assistant press secretary to the president on a contractual basis.

The Ministry of Public Administration announced the appointment in a notification issued on Monday. Meanwhile, several leaders of the Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD), the student wing of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), said Rakib had developed close ties with some BNP and Chhatra Dal leaders despite his involvement in Chhatra Union politics.

However, several leaders of the central and DU units of the Chhatra Dal said Rakib had never held any official position in their organisation.

According to the notification, signed by Al-Bashirul Islam, senior assistant secretary of the Contractual and Foreign Recruitment Branch of the Ministry of Public Administration, the appointment requires Rakib to sever all professional, business and employment-related ties with any other government, semi-government or private institution or organisation.

The appointment will remain effective from the date he joins the post until the end of the President’s term or until the President decides otherwise, whichever comes first. The notification also states that the other terms and conditions of the appointment will be determined through a formal contract. The authorities issued the order in the public interest.

Rakib studied in the 46th batch of the Department of Law at the University of Dhaka and later completed his postgraduate degree from the department. His home district is Narsingdi, and he comes from Monohardi upazila.

Chhatra Union politics

Rakib began his student political career with the Bangladesh Chhatra Union and served as convener of the organisation’s Dhaka University unit.

On 15 September 2022, the organisation formed a 19-member convener committee for its DU unit after the unit had remained dissolved for three months. The organisation appointed Rakib as the committee’s convener.

Maeen Ahmed, a former general secretary of the Chhatra Union’s DU unit, confirmed Rakib’s association with the organisation. He said Rakib had served on a committee alongside him and Meghmallar Basu before the committee was dissolved.

Maeen Ahmed said organisational activities in the DU unit subsequently continued along two separate lines. According to him, the convener committee formed in September 2022 under Rakib’s leadership failed to carry out effective organisational activities, while his own faction continued its work.

He also said Rakib’s faction operated separately within the Chhatra Union.

Meanwhile, several leaders of the central and DU units of the Chhatra Dal said Rakib had maintained contact with some BNP and Chhatra Dal leaders despite his previous involvement in Chhatra Union politics. However, they denied that he had held any formal position in the organisation.

Nur Alam Bhuiyan Emon, organisational secretary of the Chhatra Dal’s DU unit, said he was unaware of Rakib’s involvement in the organisation.

“I am not aware of anyone named Kazi Rakib Hossain ever being involved in Chhatra Dal activities. I don’t even know him,” he said.