Bangladesh: The Bangladesh Chhatra League (the student wing of the Awami league), particularly in Beanibazar, Sylhet, and Chittagong City (1996 - present)

No information on the Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) in Beanibazar, Sylhet, could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

However, several articles refer to the BCL in Chittagong City (The Independent 13 Feb. 2002; ibid. 30 Oct. 2001; ibid. 21 Dec. 1999; UPI 12 July 2000; United News of Bangladesh 30 Dec. 2001; PTI 30 June 1996; Bangladesh Radio Network 27 Nov. 1997; Reuters 27 Dec. 1997).

According to a 1 February 2002 article, police had arrested a BCL leader in Chittagong city (The Independent). Reportedly, Didarul Alam Masum, a leader of the BCL city college unit, was a listed "top terrorist" and had been wanted for several criminal cases (ibid.).

The senior vice president of the Chittagong University unit of the BCL, Ali Mortuza Chowdhury, was killed on 29 December 2001 (United News of Bangladesh 30 Dec. 2001; The Independent 13 Feb. 2002). Chowdhury was believed to have been shot by "armed terrorists" of the Islami Chhatra Shibir (ICS) (ibid.).

A 30 October 2001 article reported that the "organizational activities of the Chittagong City unit of the BCL" had "virtually come to [a] standstill due to intra-party feuds among its leaders as well as their alleged interaction with terrorists" (The Independent). The article further notes that BCL leaders and workers had "failed to maintain their status in the educational institutions and in some areas of the city as well as in the Chittagong University" (ibid.). League leaders were reported to have stated that the city unit of the BCL had not undertaken any organizational activities in Chittagong city for "a long period" (ibid.). Reportedly, the city unit had also failed to organize or hold any programmes or rallies, as most of the leaders and workers were reported to have gone into hiding for fear of reprisals or arrest as a result of their supposed links with terrorists (ibid.).

The article further states that seven of the 12-member steering committee of the Chittagong city unit of the BCL were listed as terrorists by the Chittagong Metropolitan Police and that several charges, including murder, extortion and other criminal activities, had been filed against them (ibid.). As well, BCL leaders and activists had been banned from campuses and surrounding localities and the League was forbidden to conduct political activities in Chittagong College, Mohsin College and Pahartali College and in several areas of the city, including Chawkbazar, Bakalia, Chandanpura, Baddarhat, and Pahartali (ibid.).

A 17 October 2001 article reported that cadres of the Chittagong University unit of the ICS had beaten two activists of the BCL (The Daily Star). One of the victims, who was abducted at gunpoint, was reportedly threatened to stay off of campus (ibid.). A 20 October 2001 article reported that members of ICS at Chittagong University had "started persecuting BCL men soon after taking control of the dormitories" on 8 October 2001 and were preventing BCL members from entering the campus (The Daily Star). According to the article, ICS members "manhandled" 10 BCL activists and forced the BCL president and general secretary off of campus (ibid.). Several students were also reported to have been "roughed up" for their connection with the BCL (ibid.).

As well, a 10 October 2001 article reported that armed cadres of the Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) and ICS had "recaptured the Chittagong Medical College after forcing the activists of the Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) to leave the institution" (The Daily Star).

The BCL had reportedly "enforced an indefinite siege" at Chittagong University in order to protest a 3 November 2001 attack on its activists by the ICS (The Daily Star 5 Nov. 2001). According to the report, an estimated 10 people, including BCL's president and general secretary were hurt in the attack, which occurred when BCL activists attempted to enter campus (ibid.) According to reports, Chittagong University was to reopen on 2 March 2002 when BCL-called off its siege programme on 27 February 2002 (The Daily Star 28 Feb. 2002; The Independent 28 Feb. 2002).

Five "mid-ranking" leaders of the BCL and two drivers were reported to have been killed when "Islamic fundamentalists" opened fire on their car in Chittagong city (UPI 12 July 2000). The attack, which occurred on 12 July 2000, was reported to be the result of political rivalry and purportedly caused "widespread violence" in the city (ibid.). BCL activists reportedly "hacked" a suspected member of ICS to death and gunfights between BCL and ICS members were also reported (ibid.).

A 21 December 1999 article reported that a "gun battle" between members of the BCL and the ICS at Chittagong University had resulted in over 50 injuries and the death of two ICS activists (The Independent).

The shooting of three BCL activists in Chittagong was reported to have resulted in armed clashes between rival members of the BCL that wounded at least 10 people (Reuters 27 Dec. 1997). According to the police, both the initial killings and the gunfight arose as a result of "disputes within the BCL over leadership and other issues" (ibid.).

A 27 November 1997 article reported that armed clashes between rival student groups at Chittagong Medical College Hospital had resulted in one death and serious injuries to several students belonging to the BCL (Bangladesh Radio Network). According to an earlier article, Chittagong Medical College was closed following a clash between activists of the BCL and Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) (PTI 30 June 1996). The conflict, in which both sides were reported to have been involved in the exchange of gunfire and firebombs, left an unspecified number of people injured (ibid.).

The following information pertaining to the BCL's national leadership may also be of interest.

According to a 4 April 2002 article, Liaqat Sikder was elected president and Nazrul Islam Babu became general secretary of the Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL), in what was reported to have been the first election in BCL's more than 50-year history (United News of Bangladesh). According to reports, the president of the Awami League, Sheikh Hasina, is the constitutional leader of the BCL (ibid. 8 Apr. 2002; ibid. 3 Apr. 2002).

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References

Bangladesh Radio Network [Dhaka]. 27 November 1997. "Bangladesh: Disturbance Erupts Over Reported Attack on Khaleda Zia." (FBIS-NES-97-334 30 Nov. 1997/WNC)

The Daily Star [Dhaka]. 28 February 2002. "CU Reopens Mar 2 After 8 Months of Deadlock." [Accessed 11 Apr. 2002]

_____. 5 November 2001. "CU BCL Enforces Indefinite Siege Programme." [Accessed 11 Apr. 2002]

_____. 20 October 2001. "Shibir Preventing BCL Students from Entering CU." [Accessed 11 Apr. 2002]

_____. 17 October 2001. "Ctg Shibir Beats 2 BCL Activists." [Accessed 11 Apr. 2002]

_____. 10 October 2001. "BNP, Jamaat Leaders Embarrassed at Recapture of Dormitories." [Accessed 11 Apr. 2002]

The Independent [Dhaka]. 28 February 2002. "CU Deadlock Ends as BCL Withdraws Indefinite Strike." [Accessed 11 Apr. 2002]

_____. 13 February 2002. "CU BCL Leader Murder." (NEXIS)

_____. 1 February 2002. "Listed Top Terror, 3 Accomplices Arrested in Ctg." [Accessed 11 Apr. 2002]

_____. 30 October 2001. Ruhul Amin Rana. "Intra-Party Feud." (NEXIS)

_____. 21 December 1999. "Gunbattle on Campus." (NEXIS)

Press Trust of India (PTI) [New Delhi]. 30 June 1996. "Medical School Closed Following Violence, Gunplay." (BBC Summary 1 July 1996/NEXIS)

Reuters. 27 December 1997. "Bangladesh Students." (AAP Newspeed 27 Dec. 1997/NEXIS)

United News of Bangladesh. 8 April 2002. "BCL-Inquiry." (NEXIS)

_____. 4 April 2002. "BCL Leadership." (NEXIS)

_____. 3 April 2002. "Hasina-Terrorist State, 1." (NEXIS)

_____. 30 December 2001. "Mortuza-Buried." (NEXIS)

_____. 12 July 2000. "7 Killed in Car Shootings." (NEXIS)

Additional Sources Consulted

IRB databases

Jane's Geopolitical Library (CD-ROM)

LEXIS/NEXIS

Internet sites including:

BBC

The Daily Star

Dawn

The Independent

News from Bangladesh

Rediff

The Tribune

World News Connection

Search engines:

Google