The government’s decision to ban Islami Chhatra Shibir, the student wing of Jamaat-e-Islami, which committed crimes against humanity during the country’s War of Independence in 1971 has been haild by the people who fell victims to Jamaat-Shibir barbarity.
Many victims of Jamaa-Shibir barbarity, while talking to the Bangladesh Post, said if Shibir had been banned 10 years earlier, many lives could have been saved. However, they are happy with the government’s decision to ban Shibir.
Habibur Rahman, a dramatist who was crippled by a Shibir attack at Rajshahi University on April 14, 2013, shared his horrible experiences with the Bangladesh Post. Habibur, who had staged many plays on war crimes and led movements demanding ban on Shibir’s politics RU campus. “Shibir cadres tried to kill me in an attack. I survived but had to live with a disability,” Habibur said adding that if Shibir was banned earlier, their barbarity could have been prevented and many lives saved.
In a 2013 report, IHS Jane’s, a globally renowned security think tank, identified Islami Chhatra Shibir as the third most dangerous terrorist organisation in the world.
The organisation was banned 47 years after its establishment, following accusations of inciting violence during the students’ recent quota reform movement.
Three years after its establishment, Shibir cadres brutally killed Tabarak Hossain, an elected AGS leader of Chhatra League at Chattogram City College. While he was writhing in pain from their machete attacks, a Shibir member urinated on him.
Despite their countrywide brutality, progressive student organisations and cultural activists at Chattogram and Rajshahi universities suffered the most under Shibir’s violence. Since then, many leaders and workers of Bangladesh Chhatra League, Chhatra League (JSD), Chhatra Union, Bangladesh Chhatra Moitri and Jamaat’s political affiliate BNP’s student organisation Chhatra Dal have lost their lives in Chattogram University and Chattogram city.
Amit Kumar Basu, former leader of Chattogram University Chhatra League, told the Bangladesh Post that universities should be a place of free thought, but Shibir always carried out terrorist activities to foster fundamentalist ideologies. He said if Shibir was banned 10 years earlier, many lives could have been saved. Basu recounted how Shibir’s attacks left many bleeding. They even attacked ambulances carrying injured victims, he added.
On April 29, 2014, a Shibir attack severed the right leg and hand of Chhatra League leader Abdullah Al Masud, while another leader, Togor Mohammad Saleh, had his tendons cut. Togor recalled that the attack was led by then president of Rajshahi University Shibir, Ashrafuzzaman Iman, with 15-20 others who left them thought to be dead. He says that Shibir should have been banned earlier.
Rajshahi University student Akheruzzaman Takim, another victim, said that Jamaat should have been banned 10 years earlier. Recounting his attack, Takim said he spent 56 days in the ICU and underwent nine surgeries after a 27-second assault led by Ashrafuzzaman Iman.
The ban on Islami Chhatra Shibir has been welcomed by Bangladesh Chhatra Moitri. Eleven members of this organisation—Dr Jamil Akhtar Ratan, Jubayer Chowdhury Rimu, Debashish Bhattacharya Rupom, Farukuzzaman Faruk, Bani Amin Panna, Shamim Ahmed, Atikul Bari, Raju Ahmed Bablu, Ayub Hossain, Mohammad Selim, and Aslam—were killed by Shibir activists.
Aditi Adritya Srishti, General Secretary of Chhatra Moitri, told Bangladesh Post that since the establishment of Bangladesh Chhatra Moitri, these martyrs have been fighting against Jamaat-Shibir and other communal, fundamentalist, and terrorist forces.
On September 24, 1989, in Sylhet MC College, student leader Monir, along with Bangladesh Chhatra League (JASAD) members Tapan, Jewel, Mukim, Yasir Arafat Pitu, and Jalal, were killed by Shibir cadres.
Regarding the ban on Shibir, Masud Ahmed, General Secretary of Bangladesh Chhatra League (JASAD), said many leaders from various universities, colleges, districts, and metropolitan committees of Chhatra League (JASAD) have been victims to Shibir’s attacks. The ban on terrorist Jamaat-Shibir is a victory of the students’ movement.
Not only progressive student organisations and cultural activists, but also several leaders of the BNP’s student wing, Jatiyatabadi Chatra Dal, have been killed by Islami Chhatra Shibir.
On August 26, 1989, Jahangirnagar University Chhatra Dal’s joint secretary Habibur Rahman Kabir, Chattogram University teacher Dr Enamul Haque’s son and Chhatra Dal leader Mohammad Musa, and Chhatra Dal leader and JASAD’s Rajshahi University General Secretary Aman Ullah Aman were hacked to death by Shibir cadres.
However, Jatiyatabadi Chatra Dal President Rakibul Islam Rakib told the Bangladesh Post that this ‘illegal’ government is trying to divert the ongoing student movement through this ban.
It is mentionable that before 1971, Jamaat’s student wing was named Islami Chhatra Sangha. After being banned in independent Bangladesh, it reemerged as Islami Chhatra Shibir on February 6, 1977. The founding president of the organisation was Mir Quasem Ali, who was sentenced to death for crimes against humanity during the Liberation War.
