Bangladesh Chhatra League

Bangladesh Chhatra League, simply Chhatra League (Bengali pronunciation: [ˈʧʰɑt̪ːroliɡ]), is the student wing of the Bangladesh Awami League, founded by Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on 4 January 1948. Historically involved in major movements such as the 1952 Language Movement, 1971 Liberation War and 1990 Anti-Authoritarian Movement, BCL later became notorious for widespread violence, including killings, drugs dealing, extortion, and alleged forced prostitution.

The interim government of Bangladesh banned the organisation on 23 October 2024 under the Anti-Terrorism Act, 2009, citing its alleged involvement in terrorism and human rights violations, including the suppression of protests during the 2024 July Revolution.

Saddam Hussain, the current president of BCL, is facing criminal investigations for his alleged involvement in the July massacre, with a warrant issued for his arrest. Most of the top members of the organisation, including its president and general secretary, went into hiding following the resignation and ousting of Awami League chief Sheikh Hasina as the Prime Minister of the country.

On 4 January 1948, the East Pakistan Muslim Chhatra League was established by Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at a meeting in Fazlul Huq Muslim Hall at the University of Dhaka. Naeemuddin Ahmed was the first convener of BSL, while Khaleque Nawaz Khan was the founder general secretary of the Chhatra League.

The Chhatra League played an important role in the Bengali Language Movement of 1952 through breaking curfews with their protests.

The Chhatra League led student protests against the Shariff Commission recommendations in the 1962 East Pakistan Education movement.

The organisation's name was changed to the Bangladesh Chhatra League after the Independence of Bangladesh in 1971.

During the Bangladesh Liberation War, the Bangladesh Chhatra League was a key player, but in 1972, it broke up into two factions based on their allegiance to Shekh Mujibur Rahman. The group was a pioneer in the 1952 Language Movement, the 1954 general election victory of the United Front (East Pakistan), the anti-Aiyub movement in 1958, the education movement in 1962, the Six-Point movement in 1966, the 1969 East Pakistan mass uprising, and the 1970 Pakistani general election.