Bangladesh Islami Chhatra Shibir central president Nurul Islam Saddam said people whose student life ended 10 or 15 years ago should not serve as university presidents. He made the remarks on Wednesday as chief guest at a freshman reception and career guidance programme organized by the Cumilla University unit of Chhatra Shibir at Fun Town Park in the Dhulipara Choumuhani area of Cumilla city.

Saddam said leadership should emerge from students currently enrolled at universities and connected to students’ daily concerns. He cited accommodation, transport, academic and career-related issues as matters that current students understand. He also said the leadership of a student organization is not any individual’s personal property and argued that working in students’ interests requires being close to them and understanding their real problems.

He questioned how a person brought from outside a university could represent its students after no longer being a student. Saddam said student politics should focus on speaking about students’ problems, standing beside them and working for their rights. The event was moderated by unit general secretary Saiful Islam and chaired by unit president Mozammel Hossain Abir.