What Adviser Rizwana said on BCL ban
“Several murders [by Chhatra League members] have been proved in court. Abrar Fahad, and Biswajit's murder cannot be forgotten. Those incidents are still vivid in my eyes. Even after 5 August, they have continued their terrorist activities,” said the adviser
The interim government yesterday imposed a ban on the Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL), the student wing of Awami League, as a terrorist organisation under the Anti-Terrorism Act, 2009.
Speaking about the ban today (24 October), Environment Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan said there is clear evidence of the charges brought against BCL in media reports.
"Everyone knows about how Chhatra League attacked wearing police uniforms with its helmet army and hockey sticks," she said at a press briefing after a meeting of the interim government's Advisory Council.
She said the BCL has played the role of a terrorist organisation in every movement since the Road Safety Movement in 2018.
During the July movement, the then Awami League-led government said Chhatra League alone was enough to stop the movement. "They used the Chhatra League as terrorists."
"Several murders [by Chhatra League members] have been proved in court. Abrar Fahad, and Biswajit's murder cannot be forgotten. Those incidents are still vivid in my eyes. Even after 5 August, they have continued their terrorist activities," said the adviser.
Stating that the government has banned BCL to curb their powers, she said, "Reports by various agencies show that they [BCL] have been banned for engaging in activities against the interests of the state, endangering public safety and law and order.
"No decision has been taken so far to ban any other political organisations. There was no discussion in our advisory council about banning Awami League. However, a writ was filed in the High Court a month ago [in this regard], but the court rejected it."
Also speaking at the event, Mahfuj Alam, special assistant to the chief adviser, said cases have been filed over the killings during the Monsoon Movement in July-August.
"Arrests are being made in the cases. They [accused] will be judged on the basis of the crimes committed. The number of arrests will increase in the coming days. Even if someone is absconding, their trial will not stop, it will continue."