Bangladesh’s Interim Govt Bans Awami League’s Student Wing Amid Allegations of Violence & Terrorism

By  News On Air   Oct 24, 2024

In Bangladesh, the interim government led by Prof. Muhammad Yunus has banned the Awami League’s student organisation, Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL). The Ministry of Home Affairs issued a gazette notification in this regard yesterday amid the demand raised by the Student Movement Against Discrimination. BCL is a 76-year-old pro-Awami League student organisation.

According to the notification, over the past 15 years under the Awami League government, Chhatra League has been involved in various activities that disrupt public safety, including murder, rape, torture, harassment in student dormitories, and tender manipulation.

Additionally, the notification mentions that there is sufficient evidence indicating that BCL continued to engage in conspiratorial, destructive, and provocative activities against the state, as well as various terrorist acts.

Consequently, the interim government has declared a ban on Bangladesh Chhatra League under Section 18(1) of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 2009, with immediate effect, said the notification.

Awami League leader Bahauddin Nasim condemned the interim government, saying that the ban on BCL is an attack on the spirit of the Liberation War and the constitution.