Pro-Government Militias
Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) (Bangladesh)
Basic Group Information
| Name assigned by coder: | no |
| PGM ID Number: | 178 |
| Country: | Bangladesh |
| Date formed: | June 23, 1996 |
| Accuracy of date formed: | day |
| Details of Formation: | The Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) was formed as a students’ political organisation by Sheikh Mujibur Rahmen (First president of independent Bangladesh) in response to West Pakistani attempts of cultural dominance (Wikipedia). The Awami League, to whom the BCL is closely connected, won the election in 1996 and formed the government between June 23, 1996 to July 15, 2001 and then again from January 6, 2009 onwards. |
| Date dissolved: | Unknown |
| Accuracy of date dissolved: | day |
| Details of Termination: | The BCL was terminated between July 15, 2001 and January 6, 2009 because the Awami League was not part of the government during that time. |
| Termination Type(s): | none |
Former and Successor Group Information
| Predecessor group(s): | none |
| Successor group(s): | none |
| Private Military Company? | no |
| Former Group? | yes |
| Former Armed Group? | yes |
| Former Rebel Group? | no |
| Former Rebel Group UCDP ID: | none |
| PGM Becomes Rebel Group? | no |
| Successor Rebel Group UCDP ID: | none |
Government Relation, Support, and Training
| Government Relation: | informal (type 1) |
| Created by the Government?: | no | Main Creating Government Institution: | none |
| Government Link(s): | political party |
| If link to party, name of party: | Bangladesh Awami League |
| Training and Equipment: | yes |
| Shared Information and Joint Operations: | yes |
| Shared Personnel: | no |
| Type(s) of Material Support: | no information |
| State Sponsor(s): | none |
| Other Connection(s): |
Group Characteristics
| Membership: | party activists; students |
| Primary Membership: | no information |
| Alternative Primary Membership: | no information |
| Location: | Dhaka, Chittagong - university campuses |
| Force Strength: | [unknown, unknown] |
| Target(s): | unarmed political opposition, government critics; rebels, insurgents, or other armed group; journalists; students |
| Purpose(s): | protect state, national or religious institutions |
Ethnic Characteristics
| Ethnic Target(s): | none |
| Quality of Information for Ethnic Targeting: | not applicable |
| Ethnic Membership: | none |
| Quality of Information for Ethnic Membership: | not applicable |
| Ethnic Purpose: | none |
| Quality of Information for Ethnic Purpose: | not applicable |
Other Information
| Other Information: | The group is also known as Bangladesh Students League (BLS). |
New Variables from Meta-Analysis
Purpose
| Purpose: | The Awami League used the BCL to enforce strikes, to gather crowds for demonstrations and to gain ideological dominance at university campuses. |
| Relative Benefit(s) of PGM Use | unknown |
Treatment of Civilians
| Treatment of Civilians: | The BCL committed violence against other youth groups’ supporters. In at least one occasion it beat and killed a young man, which was denied by the Prime Minister. There are allegations that the BCL might be excluded from investigations for their political link to the ruling party (Amnesty International 2012), although for the murder of the young man 21 individuals were convicted (Wikipedia). |
| Type(s) of Violence against Civilians: | killing; beating |
Reasons for Membership
| PGM Members Coerced? | no information |
| PGM Members Paid? | no information |
| Reasons for Membership: | |
| PGM Members Killed? | often |
PGM Size
| Size: |
Weapons and Training
| Weapons and Training: | The BCL had knives (Amnesty International 2012) and news sources also report rifles, guns, revolvers, light machine-guns, grenades, home bombs, machetes and other sharp weapons. Members were issued firearms licenses by the ruling Awami League at the end of its term in 2001. |
Organisation
| Organisation: | The BCL is currently working under the Bangladesh Awami League (Wikipedia). |
Reference(s) for Meta-Analysis
Evidence
- Examine the evidence for this coding.