Saddam Hussain (Chhatra League)

Saddam Hussain (Bengali: সাদ্দাম হুসেইন) is a Bangladeshi political and student activist who currently serves as president of the Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL), the student wing of the Bangladesh Awami League.^[1][2]

He previously held the position of general secretary of the BCL’s University of Dhaka unit. In 2019, he was elected assistant general secretary of the Dhaka University Central Students' Union (DUCSU),^[3] and became a member of the University of Dhaka Senate in the same year.^[4][5]

Hussain was born in Panchagarh, Rangpur Division of Bangladesh. His father, Md. Aminul Haque, formerly served as president of an Upazila unit of both the Bangladesh Chhatra League and the Bangladesh Awami Jubo League.^[6]

He completed his secondary education at Thakurgaon Government High School in 2008,^[7] followed by higher secondary studies at Notre Dame College, Dhaka.^[8] He later enrolled in the Department of Law at the University of Dhaka.^[6]

Hussain became active in student politics through the Bangladesh Chhatra League, where he served as Deputy Secretary of Legal Affairs in the organisation’s Central Executive Committee.^[6]

Following the organisation’s Dhaka University unit council held on 29 April 2018,^[9] he was elected general secretary of the university unit.^[10][11]

In the 2019 Dhaka University Central Students' Union (DUCSU) election, he was elected assistant general secretary with approximately 15,000 votes,^[3][12] the highest vote count recorded in that election’s history.^[7] He later became president of the Bangladesh Chhatra League and served as a member of the University of Dhaka Senate.^[13]

Several national media outlets have reported on Hussain’s speeches and activities during his tenure in student leadership.^[14][15] He was involved in organising demonstrations addressing incidents of sexual violence,^[16][17] calling for the postponement of an election that coincided with a minority religious holiday,^[18] and opposing discrimination based on religion.^[19] He also supported a resolution at the University of Dhaka banning student organisations based on religion.^[20]

As assistant general secretary of DUCSU, he regularly advocated for allocating 6% of the National Budget of Bangladesh to the education sector.^[21]

During Hussain’s leadership of the BCL, activists from the organisation were reported to have been instructed to suppress demonstrators involved in the quota reform movement of 2024.^[22][23] The violent clashes between protesters, Chhatra League members, and the Bangladesh Police became known as the July massacre.^[24] Hussain stated that he supported the “logical demands” of the movement but warned that action would be taken against “Razakars” whom he accused of politicising the protests.^[25][26][27]

Following the resignation of Sheikh Hasina, the Government of Bangladesh initiated legal proceedings against individuals associated with the Hasina administration in connection with alleged abuses.^[28][29] Hussain was among those named and subsequently became a fugitive and reportedly fled to India via Sylhet.^[30]

Hussain was later expelled from the University of Dhaka after being implicated in violence on campus. The Interim Government of Bangladesh subsequently banned the Bangladesh Chhatra League for its activities during the premiership of Sheikh Hasina under the anti-terrorism act. Hussain also faced charges of attempted murder in connection with an alleged attack on Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal leaders in 2022.^[31]

• Saddam Hussain on Twitter