New Delhi: Bangladesh’s interim government has officially banned the Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL), the student wing of the ousted Awami League party, led by former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The decision comes in response to demands from the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, which has called for action against the organisation for its alleged involvement in widespread violence and public safety threats over the past 15 years.
A notification issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs, signed by senior secretary Md Abdul Momen, cited BCL’s involvement in activities such as murder, rape, torture, harassment in student dormitories, and manipulation of public tenders. According to the statement, there is “sufficient evidence” that the student group continued to engage in conspiratorial and destructive activities, even after the fall of the Awami League government in August.
BCL activists reportedly attacked students and the general public
The BCL played a central role in suppressing protests during the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement that began in mid-July. BCL activists reportedly attacked students and the general public, resulting in the deaths of hundreds, further fuelling unrest that led to Hasina’s departure.
Sheikh Hasina fled to India on 5 August amid violent protests against her government. These protests, which escalated after BCL members reportedly attacked demonstrators, led to clashes that claimed the lives of over 700 people. Hasina, who had been in power for 15 years, was replaced by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus, who now leads an interim administration tasked with restoring democratic governance.
Ban on BCL is effective immediately
The ban on the BCL, enacted under Section 18(1) of Bangladesh’s Anti-Terrorism Act 2009, is effective immediately. In the statement, the government highlighted that the organisation’s actions not only threatened public safety but also contributed to Hasina’s oppressive rule, which saw the widespread detention of political opponents and human rights abuses.
The interim administration has also moved to purge Hasina’s appointees from key institutions such as the judiciary and the central bank. The former prime minister, now in exile in India, faces an uncertain future, with her diplomatic passport revoked and a Bangladeshi court issuing an arrest warrant against her. Despite Bangladesh and India having an extradition treaty, her extradition may be contested on the grounds that the charges against her are politically motivated.
