Biswajit Das, a 24-year-old tailor, was brutally murdered on December 9, 2012, in Dhaka, Bangladesh, during a nationwide road blockade organized by the opposition 18 Party Alliance. He was mistakenly identified as an opposition supporter by members of the Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL), the student wing of the ruling Awami League party.
The attackers, mostly students from Jagannath University, assaulted Das with machetes, iron bars, and hockey sticks. Although he attempted to escape, he collapsed nearby and was rushed to Mitford Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries.
The murder, captured live on television, sent shockwaves across the nation. A subsequent investigation led to the indictment of 21 BCL activists. In 2013, eight of them were sentenced to death, while 13 received life imprisonment.
The case drew widespread condemnation and highlighted the pervasive issue of political violence in Bangladesh, sparking criticism of the BCL’s role in fostering a culture of impunity and violence within student politics.
Bangladesh Feminist Archives 