Interim government on Wednesday (Oct 23) banned Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL).

The home ministry issued a notification in this regard by order of the President this evening.

According to notificaton, the student wing of Awami League, many leaders of which were ousted on 5 August for authoritative rule over the country, also illegally profited from public university residential hall seats and engaged in unfair tender bidding processes.

BCL has been conducting its criminal activities at different times since its inception, and the heinous acts peaked during the last 15 years, when the Awami League government ruled the country by repeatedly rigging elections, the notification said.

Numerous reports have been published on the proven acts of BCL crimes in leading media outlets, and some incidents of terrorist acts have also been proven at courts.

During 15 July-5 August, BCL leaders and activists repeatedly attacked the anti-discrimination student movement with brute force and lethal arms, killing hundreds of protesting students and civilians while also making lives of many others unbearable.

The interim government has sufficient evidence to believe that even after the ouster of Awami League autocracy on 5 August, BCL has been engaging in terrorist activities while also conducting seditious, destructive and provocative activities.

In this backdrop, the government has decided to ban BCL with immediate effect and enlist it as a proscribed entity under the “Anti-Terrorism Act, 2009.”

BDST: 2139 HRS, OCT 23, 2024
MSK