The Islami Chhatra Shibir (ICS), the student wing of Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh, has been identified as a key instigator in the recent crisis in Bangladesh, which led to the collapse of Sheikh Hasina’s government and over 300 deaths. Sources indicate that ICS, with alleged support from the Pakistani intelligence agency ISI, played a central role in fueling the turmoil.
In the past two years, numerous ICS members have been admitted to various Bangladeshi universities, where they have been instrumental in inciting student protests. These demonstrations, which erupted over a controversial government job quota system, were largely driven by university students associated with ICS. Major student organizations that won university elections recently did so with ICS backing.
The ISI’s involvement reportedly included manipulating student social media profiles to incite violence, further exacerbating the unrest. ICS’s connections with ISI are believed to be deep, with many ICS members traveling to Pakistan and participating in madrasa activities.
The “India out” campaign, which gained traction following Sheikh Hasina’s fourth term, is also attributed to ICS’s efforts, with allegations of Pakistani involvement in orchestrating the movement, mirroring similar protests in the Maldives. The ongoing crisis reflects a complex web of political and international influences, with ICS and ISI playing pivotal roles.
