Bangladesh Chhatra League recently faced a ban imposed by the Muhammad Yunus-led government, aligning with the wishes of Pakistan-oriented, anti-liberation, and radical Islamist militant organizations like Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami.
Since the ban, Chhatra League leaders and activists have been subjected to continuous persecution, with police arresting them on sight, even without formal charges. Jamaat’s student wing, Islami Chhatra Shibir, and the internationally banned militant group Hizb ut-Tahrir have reportedly been attacking Chhatra League students as they attempt to sit for their exams. Today, a female Chhatra League activist was brutally assaulted by Shibir members in an exam hall at Dhaka University. Similarly, during an ongoing class at Salimullah Medical College, members of Hizb ut-Tahrir reportedly entered and began chanting extremist slogans, prompting female students to flee in fear. The administration allegedly made no immediate attempt to control the Hizb ut-Tahrir members, and later, the army had to step in to bring the situation under control.
This sequence of events calls for a re-examination of why Chhatra League has become a threat to anti-liberation, radical militants and why these groups are determined to label them as terrorists and ban their activities. To understand this, we must look at the historical roots of Chhatra League’s ongoing conflict with these Pakistan-aligned religious extremists. This animosity can be traced back to Chhatra League’s role in defeating Pakistan in 1971, leading to Bangladesh’s independence, given that the ideological center of these extremist groups remains rooted in Pakistan.
Let’s examine the historical roots of this conflict.
Bangladesh Chhatra League, the organization bearing the flag of education, peace, and progress, was founded by the Father of the Nation, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Today, it stands as Bangladesh’s primary political student organization. On January 4, 1948, at Dhaka University’s Fazlul Huq Hall, Sheikh Mujib established the organization, initially called the East Pakistan Muslim Students League. Since its inception, Chhatra League has played a leading role in numerous rights-based movements across Bangladesh, including the language movement, educational rights, Bengali autonomy, mass uprisings, and independence and self-determination movements.
The organization’s role in the language movement holds special significance in history. Under the leadership of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, one of the key demands in Chhatra League’s ten-point agenda was making Bengali the state language of Pakistan.
March 11, 1948, remains a landmark date in the language movement, marked by a total general strike demanding Bengali as the state language, which became the first successful hartal in East Pakistan’s history since Pakistan’s inception. During this hartal, Bangabandhu led the movement, faced police repression, and was subsequently arrested.
The arrest of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on March 11 marked a turning point in his political career. On March 15, 1948, an eight-point agreement was signed between the State Language Action Committee and the then-Chief Minister of East Bengal, Khawaja Nazimuddin, which recognized Bengali as a medium of education for the first time. As per the agreement, Sheikh Mujib and other language activists were eventually released. However, the government initially stalled on releasing certain leaders on March 15, prompting a strong protest from Sheikh Mujib.
On March 16, 1948, a general student meeting was held under the banyan tree at Dhaka University to strengthen the language movement. After the meeting, a procession marched toward the East Bengal Legislative Assembly building, chaired by recently released leader Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
After the formation of Chhatra League, notable chapters in its history include the 1948-1952 language movement, support for the United Front in the 1954 provincial elections, opposition to the Sharif Commission Report in 1962, endorsement of the Six-Point Movement in 1966, participation in the mass uprising that led to the fall of Pakistan’s “iron man” President Ayub Khan in 1969, and engagement in movements against the military regimes of General Ziaur Rahman (1975-78) and General H. M. Ershad (1982-90). Among these, the Liberation War of 1971 stands as Chhatra League’s greatest achievement.
Chhatra League played a significant role in the Agartala Conspiracy Case withdrawal in 1969, the national and provincial elections of 1970, and the participation of its workers in the Liberation War of 1971. The outline of Bangladesh’s flag, the selection of the national anthem, the hoisting of the flag of a free Bangladesh, the reading of the Declaration of Independence, the success of the March 7 rally, the formation of the Joy Bangla Force, the celebration of Bangladesh Day on March 23, and the formation of the Mujib Bahini are all illustrious achievements of Chhatra League.
Within Chhatra League, the slogan “Joy Bangla” was born. This student organization introduced slogans like “Tomar Amar Thikana, Padma-Meghna-Jamuna” (“Your and my address, Padma-Meghna-Jamuna”), “Bir Bangali Astra Dhoro, Bangladesh Shadhin Koro” (“Valiant Bengalis, Take Up Arms, Free Bangladesh”), and “Tomar Neta Amar Neta Sheikh Mujib Sheikh Mujib” (“Your Leader, My Leader Sheikh Mujib Sheikh Mujib”). It was Chhatra League that conferred the title “Bangabandhu” to Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, President of the Awami League, on February 23, 1969, on behalf of the Bengali nation.
On September 17, 1969, at a discussion on Education Day at Dhaka University, the slogan “Joy Bangla” was first voiced by Aftab Uddin Ahmed, a first-year political science student and central leader of Chhatra League (who later became Vice-Chancellor of the National University) and Chisti Shah Helal-ur-Rahman, central joint secretary of Chhatra League (later a journalist and a martyr in the Liberation War). This slogan was heard again on January 4, 1970, at the Chhatra League anniversary event, attended by Syed Nazrul Islam, Vice-President of the Awami League. On January 18 of that year, Bangabandhu encouraged the use of this slogan at a rally in Paltan.
In a meeting on August 21, 1970, Chhatra League’s Central Committee, led by its publicity secretary Swapan Kumar Chowdhury, proposed the establishment of an independent socialist Bangladesh. On March 7, 1971, after his historic speech, Bangabandhu declared “Joy Bangla.” On April 17, 1971, at the swearing-in of the Mujibnagar Government in Baidyanath Tola, Meherpur, Acting President Syed Nazrul Islam and Prime Minister Tajuddin Ahmed echoed the “Joy Bangla” slogan. “Joy Bangla” is the slogan of Bengali identity, the slogan uniting freedom-loving people, and the slogan instilling courage. It served as the mantra for Bengalis to take up arms.
The emergence of a new state required a new national flag. The national flag embodies a nation’s recognition, representing emotions, feelings, love, language, and culture. Within Chhatra League, a decision to create this flag was initiated on June 6, 1970, at Iqbal Hall of Dhaka University, inspired by Sirajul Alam Khan, leader of a faction known as the “Nucleus.” Involved in this initiative were Kazi Aref Ahmed, Monirul Islam (Marshal Moni), ASM Abdur Rab, Shahjahan Siraj, Sharif Nurul Ambia, Hasanul Haque Inu, Salahuddin Yusuf, Swapan Kumar Chowdhury, Shib Narayan Das, Chisti Shah Helal-ur-Rahman, and others. Chhatra League’s role in forming the Joy Bangla Force is notable.
On March 2, 1971, Vice-President of DUCSU ASM Abdur Rab raised the flag for the first time on behalf of the independent Bengali Student Action Committee under the banyan tree at Dhaka University before a crowd of hundreds of thousands. On March 23, Hasanul Haque Inu raised the flag in Paltan Maidan, burning the Pakistani flag. Later, the flag was handed over to Bangabandhu at his residence and displayed at his house and car. ASM Abdur Rab, former General Secretary of Chhatra League and Vice-President of DUCSU, led the Joy Bangla Force.
On March 3, 1971, a historic gathering convened in Paltan Maidan by the Bengali Student Action Committee. The president of Chhatra League, Noor Alam Siddiqui, presided over the meeting, and General Secretary Shahjahan Siraj read the Declaration of Independence, proclaiming Bangladesh as a sovereign state. Rabindranath Tagore’s song “Amar Sonar Bangla, Ami Tomay Bhalobashi” was announced as the national anthem. It was stated that Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, President of the Awami League, would be the leader of an independent Bangladesh. After Bangabandhu’s historic March 7 speech, “Joy Bangla” gained immense popularity. On March 25, following the genocide and Bangabandhu’s declaration of independence, the Bangladesh Liberation Force took up arms. The Mujib Bahini was formed, and the country was divided into four sectors for warfare, including the southwestern region comprising Jessore, Khulna, Faridpur, Barisal, Kushtia, and Pabna districts (excluding Sirajganj), headquartered in Barrackpore, West Bengal.
Seventeen thousand leaders and activists of Chhatra League sacrificed their lives in the Liberation War, their blood giving birth to an independent Bangladesh.
Is Chhatra League an organization that appeared out of nowhere? Can Bangladesh survive while erasing Chhatra League’s contributions? The organization that contributed to every turning point of the Liberation War, the Bengali flag, national anthem, and language—how can one write Bangladesh’s history while erasing Chhatra League’s contributions? With what will you fill the void in history? The Islamist student wing, Islami Chhatra Shibir? During 1971, they created the Razakar, Al-Badr, and Al-Shams militias, directly aiding the Pakistani military to kill three million Bangladeshis and rape two hundred thousand women. Now, Muhammad Yunus, entangled in corruption charges, displays hostility to cover his own misdeeds. Aligning with Jamaat, Hizbut, and Islami Chhatra Shibir, he is attempting to rewrite history. What will that history contain?
The world is waiting to see the new history of Bangladesh written by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus.
Sahadat Russell, Associate Editor The Voice
