Zakir Hossain in Dhaka
A new student-led political party, formed by the Jatiya Nagorik Committee and the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, is expected to be officially announced on February 26. The party’s formation follows the student-led protests that played a key role in the ouster of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina.
The party’s structure will closely mirror its parent organizations, with Nahid Islam, interim government adviser and former chief coordinator of Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, set to be the convener. Akhter Hossain, a prominent leader in the July uprising, is the leading choice for member secretary, while Sarjis Alam and Hasnat Abdullah are being considered for chief organizer and spokesperson, respectively. Sources indicate that Nahid Islam will resign from the interim government before taking up his new role.
The party’s formation has sparked disputes over key leadership roles.
The Jatiya Nagorik Committee includes former leaders from Gonotantrik Chhatra Shakti, Chhatra Adhikar Parishad, left-leaning student groups, and Islami Chhatra Shibir, the student wing of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami. While most committee members support Akhter Hossain as member secretary, former Chhatra Shibir leaders are advocating for Ali Ahsan Zonayed. Tensions escalated on social media when Shibir-aligned leaders accused Akhter Hossain of sidelining them in favor of left-leaning candidates. His supporters responded by emphasizing his contributions to the July uprising and past political movements. Former Shibir leaders launched a counter-campaign, highlighting their own role in political activism.
The conflict intensified when student leader and interim government adviser Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuiyan and Anti-Discrimination Student Movement chief coordinator Abdul Hannan Masud accused former Chhatra Shibir leaders of distorting historical narratives. Despite these disputes, negotiations held on Monday reportedly led to a compromise, with Ali Ahsan Zonayed likely to become senior joint convener and Nasiruddin Patwary expected to be named senior joint member secretary.
The announcement event is likely to take place at Manik Mia Avenue, though Central Shaheed Minar and Shahbagh are also being considered. Initially planned for February 25, the date was pushed back to avoid coinciding with the anniversary of the 2009 BDR mutiny.
A 98-member organizing committee, consisting of 68 leaders from the Jatiya Nagorik Committee and 30 from the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, has been formed to coordinate the event. The committee held a meeting in Dhaka’s Banglamotor area to finalize logistical arrangements.
Additionally, there is a push for greater representation of women and minority communities in the leadership. Among the names being considered for these roles are Samantha Sharmin, a former Rashtrochinta activist and current Jatiya Nagorik Committee spokesperson, and Anik Roy, former general secretary of Chhatra Union.
As the launch date nears, the biggest challenge for the new party remains whether its different factions can resolve their internal disputes and present a united political force in Bangladesh’s evolving landscape