| Country: | Bangladesh |
| Details of Formation: | The Islami Chhatra Shibir was formed on 6th February 1977 at the Dhaka University central mosque (Wikipedia). It became a PGM in 2001 when Jamaat-e-Islami became part of the ruling coalition. |
| Details of Termination: | In 2006, Jamaat-e-Islami stopped being part of the ruling coalition. The Islami Chhatra Shibir continued to exist and in 2013 was estimated to be one of the most active non-state armed groups worldwide, despite previous crackdowns by the ruling Awami League (Wikipedia). |
| Purpose: | The group was widely used by the Jamaat-e-Islami party for political purposes against opponents and became the main source of the pro-army paramilitary body Al Badr. |
| Organisation: | The Islami Chhatra Shibir is the student wing of the Jamaat-e-Islami party (Wikipedia). |
| Weapons and Training: | The group used guns. |
| Size: | -- |
| Reason for Membership: | -- |
| Treatment of Civilians: | In 2002 the group was allegedly involved in a bomb attack against cinemas. The government then asserted that the Islamist groups were not involved but that the opposition was the culprit, although investigation had not yet taken place (Amnesty International 2006). The group is also known for cutting rival political party members’ tendons (Wikipedia). News sources report violence against journalists, ethnic cleansing and beating of opposition students. |
| Other Information: | The Islami Chhatra Shibir was a major student organisation at many colleges and universities (Wikipedia). |
| References: |
Amnesty International. 2006. “Bangladesh. Briefing to political parties for a human rights agenda.” AI Index: ASA 13/012/2006. October. Wikipedia. “Bangladesh Islami Chhatra Shibir”. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bangladesh_Islami_Chhatra_Shibir&oldid=741400990 |