Bangladesh interim govt declares student wing of Sheikh Hasina’s party as terror outfit
Several organisations, seen as opponents of Hasina, had called on the interim government, led by Muhammad Yunus, to imposed a ban on the student wing Photograph:( Agencies )
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The government said the move has been taken in view of the organisation’s alleged involvement in the killings and destructive and terrorist activities, both directly and through incitement, during the July riots.
The government said the move has been taken in view of the organisation’s alleged involvement in the killings and destructive and terrorist activities, both directly and through incitement, during the July riots.
Bangladesh’s interim government led by Muhammad Yunus said on Wednesday (Oct 23) that it has imposed a ban on the student wing of Bangladesh Awami League, the party of deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina. The country’s interior ministry issued a gazette notification earlier, saying the Chhatra League will be declared a terror organisation under Clause 18(1) of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 2009.
The government said the move has been taken in view of the organisation’s alleged involvement in the killings and destructive and terrorist activities, both directly and through incitement, during the July riots.
Several organisations, seen as opponents of Hasina, had called on the interim government, led by Muhammad Yunus, to impose a ban on the student wing. One such organisation was the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, which accused the Chhatra League of committing atrocities during riots that eventually led to the ouster of Sheikh Hasina. Anti-Discrimination Student Movement even issued an ultimatum to the government, which was supposed to end on Thursday (Oct 24).
Allegations against Chhatra League
The student wing has been accused of committing serious crimes, including murder, rape, attack and extortion, during the rule of Awami League.
There are allegations that they even set up so-called torture-rooms at different halls of public universities. Islami Chhatra Shibir, the student wing of Jamaat-e-Islami, had also been lobbying to ban the Chhatra League for quite some time now.
Also read: Bangladesh's interim government lifts ban on Jamaat-e-Islami
The erstwhile Awami League government led by Hasina had imposed a ban on Jamaat on August 1, 2024, accusing the Islamist party as a “militant and terrorist” organisation. The government had then blamed Jamaat's student wing for inciting chaos over a quota system for government jobs.
The Jamaat had opposed Bangladesh's 1971 independence from Pakistan and sided with the Pakistani troops during the Liberation War.
The Jamaat, founded in 1941 in undivided India, was first banned in 1972, the year Bangladesh framed its Constitution, which disbanded the functioning of any association, union or political party based on religion.
(With inputs from agencies)
