Bangladesh bans the student wing of Sheikh Hasina's party

Dhaka [Bangladesh]: The Bangladesh interim government on Wednesday banned the Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL), the student wing of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's Awami League party, following demands from a student group that led the July-August uprising.

The Bangladesh Home Ministry issued the ban, stating, "Since the country's independence, particularly during the last 15 years of authoritarian rule, the Bangladesh Chhatra League, the student wing of the Awami League, has been involved in various public security issues, including killings, torture, harassment in common rooms, dormitory seat trading, gang activities, rape, and sexual harassment."

The order further noted that major media outlets have documented these activities, and in some cases, leaders and members of the BCL have been convicted in criminal courts for their involvement in such incidents.

The official order highlighted that during the anti-discrimination student movement, which began on July 15, 2024, BCL members launched violent, armed attacks against protesting students and the general public, resulting in hundreds of deaths and endangering the lives of many others.