Shibir and BNP backed Chhatra Dal started to infiltrate into BCL for the last ten years. And the ruthless and gruesome murder of Abrar is a testimony of Shibir style action. How long Awami League and Chhatra League will have to carry the stigma and when can AL get rid of the curse of Jamaat-Shibir is the question of the day.
It is widely believed that after the trial of the Jamaat war criminals in the International Court of Trial (ICT) for crime against humanity the Jamaat-Shibir cadres are engaged in an undeclared war against the government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. These cadres are desperate and even at the cost of their life are taking part in all sorts of criminal activities to undermine the government.
These infiltrators are committing various crimes but the blames ultimately go on the shoulder of Awami League and its student wing BCL.
The murder of Abrar Fahad, a student of BUET, is the latest crime committed by infiltrated BCL leaders, who were once leaders in Shibir. Some political observers are suspecting that murder of Abrar was a blue print of the Shibir infiltrators in BCL. Killing a student in a dormitory room is totally Shibir style. The present incidents of beating and killing of opponents are being done by BCL leaders who have come from Shibir.
In the last ten years, around fifty-four students were killed in political violence across the country. Among these murders, 39 students were killed in deadly internal clashes of ruling Awami League backed Bangladesh Chhatra League. Around 15 were killed by unruly BCL activists in the last ten years. As Awami League is in power since 2009, there was huge infiltration in BCL. Activists of the BNP backed Jatitayatabadi Chhatra Dal and Jamaat-e Islami Bangladesh backed Islami Chhatra Shibir had entered BCL hiding their own identity. Police came to know that in most of the student murders, the killers were not genuine BCL activists. This is why, government is going to conduct a cleansing drive inside BCL to make it free of all infiltrators.
Intelligence agencies came to know that these former ICS and JCD activists carried out murders and other criminal activities by infiltrating into BCL. After the gruesome killing of BUET student Abrar Fahad, intelligence agencies started working on the issue of infiltration in BCL. They have already came to know that many accused BCL leaders were once involved in Shibir, specially during their college life. Many of their parents are currently involved in Jamaat-BNP politics.
Actually after AL came to power in 2009, BCL became a serious headache of the ruling party. BCL leaders were involved in various crimes including murder, rape and tender manipulations. Awami League president Sheikh Hasina, also the prime minister, several times expressed her serious concerns and dissatisfactions over the unlawful activities of BCL activists and leaders. After the latest killing in BUET, intelligence agencies have again reviewed the activities of BCL.
According to them, JCD and Shibir are now swallowing BCL in their belly. After the start of the war crime trial, the activities of Shibir became very limited. Considering the situation, Shibir and JCD activists in a pre-planned way infiltrated into BCL. Shibir leaders after 2012, especially in Jahangirnagar University, Rajshahi University and Chottagram University, had joined BCL. In some cases, it was learned that Shibir activists joined BCL hiding their original political affiliation.
In 2009, Abul Kalam Azad, a student of Dhaka Medical College was killed when he was thrown from the rooftop. Intelligence agencies claimed that Shibir activists who had infiltrated into BCL, were actually involved in the murder. In 2010, Rasjshahi University student Nosrullah Nasim was killed. BCL activists who had infiltrated from Shibir, carried out the killing. Sheikh Hasina herself expressed her concerns over infiltrations in BCL. The then AL secretary general Syed Ashraful Islam had also said Shibir activists in a massive way infiltrated into BCL. After 2014, not only Shibir infiltrated into BCL, but also JCD cadres joined BCL.
They all joined BCL to make it controversial through their terrorism in the guise of BCL. According to the intelligence sources, after war crime trial, Shibir took their organizational decision to infiltrate into BCL and instructed the cadres to carry out criminal activities so that the blame ultimately goes on the shoulder of the ruling AL, especially to party chief. According to this party decision, Jamaat leaders also sent their children to join BCL. Their main assignment was to conduct the activities of Shibir under cover of BCL. It was the political culture of Shibir to kill opponents on the campus. But this deadly culture now is being seen in BCL leaders.
Shibir infiltration was an open secret in most of the previous committees after 2009. Even in the Shovon-Rabbani committee, these infiltrated Shibir activists could not be rooted out from BCL despite strong stand against Shibir infiltration. Till now a large number of Shibir activists are holding vital positions in the committee of various universities.
In all, 107 controversial persons were awarded posts in the 301-member central committee of the current BCL. Among the 107 controversial central leaders of BCL, family members of 19 are directly involved in Jamaat. Six central leaders are former leaders of JCD and Shibir. Ruhul Amin was once joint secretary of Kaolotia Union unit of Gazipur district JCD in 2006. Within a decade, this Ruhul has become central vice-president of BCL.
HM Tazuddin, religious affairs secretary of BCL was also active member of Shibir. Syed Ashraf had alleged that members of Shibir were holding responsible posts in BCL committees in Dhaka University. Sajjad Sakib Badshah, former general secretary of BCL's Dhaka University unit also admitted that there was Shibir’s hand behind the death of DU student Abu Bakar following BCL factional clashes. Late Syed Ashraf also claimed that ICS had infiltrated into BCL committees in four DU halls.
In 2014, there were 171 members in RU BCL committee led by Mizanur Rahman Rana as president and SM Towhid Al Hossain Tuhin as secretary. Of which 30 to 35 were actually Shibir members.