| Al-Shams | |
|---|---|
| Leader | Fazlul Quader Chowdhury |
| Foundation | March 1971 |
| Dissolved | December 16, 1971 |
| Country |  Pakistan |
| Allegiance |  Jamaat-e-Islami
Military junta of Pakistan |
| Headquarters | East Pakistan |
| Ideology | |
| Political position | Far-right |
| Major actions | War crimes, genocide, looting, rape, mass murder, arson, kidnapping |
| Notable attacks | Bangladesh genocide |
| Status | Inactive |
| Allies | Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan Army |
| Opponents |  Provisional Government of Bangladesh
|
| Battles and wars | Bangladesh Liberation War |
The Al-Shams (Bengali: আল-শামস; Urdu: الشمس; lit. 'The sun') was a collaborationist paramilitary wing allied with several Islamist parties in East Pakistan,[1] comprising both local Bengalis and Muhajirs.[2] Alongside the Pakistan Army and Al-Badr, Al-Shams has been accused of participating in widespread atrocities against Bengali nationalists, civilians, and religious and ethnic minorities during the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War.[3] Following the war, the government of Bangladesh officially banned the group.
- ^ Sirajul Islam; Miah, Sajahan; Khanam, Mahfuza; Ahmed, Sabbir, eds. (2012). "Al-Shams". Banglapedia: the National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh (Online ed.). Dhaka, Bangladesh: Banglapedia Trust, Asiatic Society of Bangladesh. ISBN 984-32-0576-6. OCLC 52727562. OL 30677644M. Retrieved 24 November 2024.
- ^ Saikia, Yasmin (2011). Women, War, and the Making of Bangladesh: Remembering 1971. Duke University Press. p. 40. ISBN 978-0-8223-9428-0.
- ^ "Pakistan's first two militant Islamist groups, Al-Badar and Al-Shams – by Nadeem F. Paracha". LUBP. Archived from the original on 27 December 2015. Retrieved 29 December 2015.