Bangladesh Islami Chhatrashibir বাংলাদেশ ইসলামী ছাত্রশিবির | |
---|---|
Motto(s) | "God is the Greatest" |
President | Monzurul Islam |
Secretary General | Jahidul Islam |
Motives | "To build the lives of human beings on the exact parameters of Allah's orders and teachings of Prophet Muhammad to seek absolute obedience of Allah"[1] |
Headquarters | Purana Paltan, Dhaka, Bangladesh |
Ideology | Islamism Islamic fundamentalism Pan-Islamism Islamic revivalism Islamic democracy |
International affiliation | Islami Jamiat-e-Talaba Asian Federation of Muslim Youth International Islamic Federation of Student Organizations World Assembly of Muslim Youth Students Islamic Organisation of India |
National affiliation | Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami |
Website | bangla.shibir.org.bd english.shibir.org.bd arabic.shibir.org.bd chhatrasangbadbd.com |
Bangladesh Islami Chhatra Shibir (Bengali: বাংলাদেশ ইসলামী ছাত্রশিবির) is an Islamist student organization based in Bangladesh.[2] It was established on 6 February 1977.[3] The organisation is generally understood to be the student wing of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, and several of the leaders of the student organisation have gone on to become notable leaders within Jamaat. The organisation has a significant presence in higher educational institutions of the country such as 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.[4][5]
The organisation had been under pressure from the previous government led by the Awami League and its student wing Chhatra League.[6][4]
Bangladesh Islami Chhatrashibir was established on 6 February 1977 at the Dhaka University central mosque.[6] 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".[6][4] It was fully banned by the government on 1 August 2024.[7][8] however, it was reversed on 28 August 2024.[9][10]
According to the group's policy, their activities are guided by five principles:[11]
Shibir members, who are students of many educational institutions areas are expected to donate monthly in the name of baitul maal (the party fund).[12][13] There are also several publications that it sells in educational institutions.[13]
In 1971, Shibir's predecessor, Islami Chattra Shangha,[14] members of which led the formation of Al-Badr, which was involved in the 1971 killing of Bengali intellectuals; some members of Al-Badr had been convicted and executed by International Crimes Tribunal.[15][16][17][18][19]
This student group was also involved in violent clashes with other student groups,[13][20] was extremely militant and was linked to rumour numerous acts.[21] The group was linked to a number of larger terrorist organizations, both in Bangladesh and internationally.[21] Shibir activists are known to attack rival political party members by cutting their opponents' tendons.[22][23][24][25]
In February 2014, US-based defense 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.[26] Chhatra Shibir protested the study findings, strongly condemning the ranking. Describing Shibir as a non-armed organization, it questioned the source behind the study, and said: "They did not mention any single incident in the report that could prove our involvement with any armed attack."[27]
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 Masters candidate of Dawah and Islamic Studies Department of Islamic University, Bangladesh were allegedly arrested and disappeared by some persons who identified themselves as RAB-4 and DB Police members from Savar.[28][29][30]
Both were members of the Islamic student organization Bangladesh Islami Chhatra Shibir[31] and were allegedly detained by members of the RAB and the Detective Branch (DB) of the Bangladesh 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.[32][33][34] Amnesty International along with other rights organizations expressed their concern over this issue and called for urgent action[35]
On 5 April 2013 at around 2:25am, members of Rapid Action Battalion-5 arrested Mr. Mohammad Anwarul Islam and Mosammat Nurjahan Begum of Angariapara village in Chapainawabganj from house number 175 of Bil-Shimla Moholla under Rajpara Police Station in Rajshahi district. Later, when family members contacted the RAB-5 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 the Islami Chattra Shibir of Rajshahi district.[36]
Since 2010, Shibir has been targeted by repeated crackdowns.[37] The former Awami League led government insisted that it is necessary to maintain public order and stop attacks on police, but Amnesty International sees them as political crackdowns.[38] Since 2010, raids on student residences have been carried out at random and any Shibir supporters found there have been detained. In 2010, Government agencies received orders to conduct operations necessary to identify Shibir elements in educational institutions all around Bangladesh and uproot their influence.[39] 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.[38] On 4 November 2018, Bangladesh Police raided the Chittagong city headquarters of Bangladesh Islami Chattra Shibir and later filed case against 90 Chittagong Shibir men over explosives recovery.[40] It was the biggest police crackdowns against Shibir in recent times. Although, the organization denied any link to the incident and protested strongly against the case.[41]
The Jamaat-Shibir activists are known to cut tendons of their rivals.