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Bangladesh Islami Chhatra Shibir
Student organisation in Bangladesh From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Bangladesh Islami Chhatrashibir,[a] commonly known as Chhatrashibir or Shibir, is an Islamic student organisation in Bangladesh. It was established in 1977.[4] It's often considered as the de facto male student wing of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami.
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The organisation has significant presence in higher educational institutions of the country which includes University of Dhaka, University of Chittagong, University of Rajshahi, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology, Khulna University of Engineering & Technology, Rajshahi University of Engineering & Technology, Chittagong University of Engineering & Technology, Dhaka University of Engineering & Technology, Medical College, Dhaka College, Government Bangla College, Chittagong Polytechnic Institute.[5][6]
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History
Bangladesh Islami Chhatra Shibir was established on 6 February 1977 at the central mosque of Dhaka University.[7] Their stated mission is "to seek the pleasure of Allah (SWT) by moulding entire human life in accordance with the code, bestowed by Allah (SWT) and exemplified by His Messenger".[7][5]
The organisation was under pressure from the previous administration led by the Awami League and its student wing Chhatra League.[7][5] It along with its parent organization, Jamaat-e-Islami, were fully banned by the Awami League regime on 1 August 2024.[8][9] However, the ban was finally withdrawn by the Yunus-led interim government on 28 August 2024.[10][11]
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Funding
Shibir members, who are students of educational institutions and establishments are expected to donate monthly in the name of Baitul Maal (party fund).[12][13] There are also several publications of Islami Chhatra Shibir that are sold in educational institutions.[13]
Militancy allegations and criticism
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Bangladesh War of Independence
In 1971, Shibir's predecessor, East Pakistan Islami Chhatra Sangha, some members of which led the formation of Al-Badr, which was involved in the 1971 killing of Bengali intellectuals; some members of Al-Badr were convicted and executed by International Crimes Tribunal.[b]
Clashes
The organisation was also involved in clashes with Chhatra League,[13][19] and was accused of being linked to irregular activities.[20] The group was described by the National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism as extremely militant and "linked to a number of larger terrorist organizations both in Bangladesh, and internationally".[20] Shibir activists and supporters were also accused of attacking BCL members and leaders by cutting their tendons.[21][22][23][24]
Armed group designation
In February 2014, US-based defence think tank IHS Jane's published a report titled "IHS Jane's 2013 Global Terrorism & Insurgency Attack Index", where Shibir ranked third in a list of most active non-state armed groups in 2013.[25] Which Shibir denied.[26]
Others
According to a report by Kaler Kantho, on September 20, 1981, after the Jafar-Adar Panel, supported by the Bangladesh Chhatra League, won the Chittagong College Student Council election, a victory procession was organized. During this procession, Chhatra Shibir supporters launched an counter-procession and an injured individual was killed after being abducted.[27]
According to a report by Jugantor, on May 31, 1988, Jamil Akhtar Ratan, the convener of Chhatra Moitree's Rajshahi Medical College unit, was publicly murdered by slitting his tendons. Allegations suggest that following this incident, Chhatra Shibir established exclusive control over educational institutions in the area.[28]
In February 2025, accusations were raised against potential Chhatra Shibir supporters for torturing a student overnight and attempting to sever his Leg veins at the MC College dormitory in Sylhet over a Facebook status. The student was seriously injured in the attack and was admitted to an hospital.[29][30][31][32] In this incident, the anti-discrimination student movement announced a protest program[33][34] and Sylhet Metropolitan Unit of Jamaat-e-Islami expressed regret over the involvement of Chhatra Shibir activists in the attack.[35] However, Chhatra Shibir denied the allegation and condemned Jamaat's statement.[36][37]
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Crackdowns
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Since 2010, Shibir has been targeted by repeated crackdowns.[38] The former Awami League-led regime insisted that it is necessary to maintain public order and stop attacks on police, but Amnesty International sees them as political crackdowns.[39] Since 2010, raids on student residences were carried out at random and Shibir supporters found were detained. In 2010, Government agencies received orders to conduct operations necessary to identify Shibir elements in educational institutions all around Bangladesh and crack down on their influence.[40] Arbitrary arrests as police have made no efforts at the time of arrest to separate ordinary student members of the Chhatra Shibir from those suspected of involvement in the attacks and were denied Legal counsel.[39]
On 4 November 2018, police raided the Chittagong city headquarters of Chatra Shibir and later filed case against 90 Chittagong Shibir men over recovery of explosives.[41] It was the biggest police crackdowns against Shibir in recent times. Although the organisation denied any link to the incident and protested strongly against the case.[42]
Enforced disappearances
On 5 February 2012 approximately at 1:00 a.m., Al Mukaddas (22), fourth-year student of the Department of Al Fiqah and Mohammad Waliullah (23), a master's candidate of Dawah and Islamic Studies Department of Islamic University, were allegedly arrested and disappeared by some people who identified themselves as Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and Detective Branch (DB) of Bangladesh Police from Savar, Dhaka.[43][44][45] Both were later found to be members of Shibir,[46] and were allegedly detained by members of the RAB and the DB of the police on 4 February. They have not been heard from since and their whereabouts are unknown. The RAB has denied detaining the two men in a statement to a Bangladeshi newspaper. However, reports from several sources and a pattern of disappearances thought to have been conducted by RAB in recent months cast doubt on RAB's denial.[47][48][49] Amnesty International along with other rights organizations expressed their concern over this issue and called for urgent action.[50]
On 5 April 2013 at around 2:25 a.m., RAB arrested Mohammad Anwarul Islam and Mosammat Nurjahan Begum of Angariapara village in Chapainawabganj from Rajpara Thana in Rajshahi District. Later, when family members contacted the RAB office, RAB notified that Anwarul had never been arrested by them. An allegation of enforced disappearance was brought against the members of RAB by Anwarul's family members. Upon inquiry, it was found that Anwarul was a last year master's student of Mathematics department of Rajshahi College. Moreover, he was the Office Secretary of Chhatra Shibir Branch in Rajshahi District.[51]
On 21 October 2024, family members of six Shibir leaders filed complaints against RAB and DB in the International Crimes Tribunal over allegations of enforced disappearances. The Shibir leaders mentioned in the complaint are Shah Md. Waliullah, Md. Mokaddes Ali, Hafez Zakir Hossain, Zainal Abedin, Rezwan Hossain, and Md. Kamruzzaman. Shibir's Deputy Secretary for Legal Affairs, Amanullah Al Jihadi, stated that on 6 August, family members went to the RAB headquarters seeking information on the missing leaders but have yet to receive any information.[52][53]
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See also
Notes
References
External links
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