Bangladesh: Yunus govt bans Hasina party’s student wing under terror law, a pro-Jamaat move

Muhammad Yunus-led interim government in Bangladesh has banned the Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL), the student wing of ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League party, declaring it a “terrorist organisation”.

The decision of the Yunus government to ban BCL under the Anti-Terrorism Act is perceived as yielding to Jamaat-e-Islami and student leaders aligned with them.

Late on Wednesday, Bangladesh’s home ministry announced that the ban on BCL came into immediate effect and cited its history of serious misconduct over the past 15 years, including violence, harassment, and exploitation of public resources.  

Ban on BCL part of 5 demands laid down by protesters

The ban on BCL comes in response to escalating demands from the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement who staged protests across Bangladesh and tried barging into President Mohammed Shahabuddin’s house, seeking his resignation.

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The Anti-Discrimination Student Movement made five key demands to end their agitation which include – dissolution of the BCL, removal of President Shahabuddin and abolishment of the current Constitution.  

Who pushed for BCL ban?

A report by Times of India cited political insiders as saying that law adviser Asif Nazrul, information and broadcasting adviser Nahid Islam, and sports adviser Asif Mahmud were among those within the Yunus-led interim government who pushed for the ban.

The recent months have seen increasing tensions in Bangladesh after violent protests forced Hasina to flee on August 5 and an interim government led by Yunus took charge.

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It all began in July, when a student-led movement began to protest against government job quotas which soon escalated into one of the deadliest unrest since Bangladesh’s independence in 1971, resulting in over 700 deaths and numerous injuries.

During the unrest in the country, BCL leaders and activists allegedly attacked protesting students and the general public with arms, killing hundreds of innocent people and endangering the lives of many more people.  

About Bangladesh Chhatra League 

Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Hasina’s father, on January 4, 1948 founded Bangladesh Chhatra League or BCL as the East Pakistan Chhatra League.  

Later, after the 1971 War of Independence, the East Pakistan Chhatra League was replaced by the Bangladesh Chhatra League.

Since its inception, BCL has been a significant faction within the Awami League.

Earlier the government led by Hasina had banned Jamaat-e-Islami, Bangladesh’s main Islamic party, and its affiliated groups under the anti-terrorism law. It then blamed Jamaat-e-Islami for stoking deadly violence during student-led protests and involvement in alleged terrorist activities linked to their actions against the country during the 1971 independence war.

However, coming into power after the fall of Hasina-led regime, the interim government has lifted the ban on Jamaat-e-Islami.

With inputs from agencies.