Which way is the anti-discrimination student movement's 'citizen committee' going?

First, the quota reform movement, a one-point demand for the fall of the government from that movement. For the first time in the country's history, the head of the government fled the country in the face of a mass coup. Students of the country took part in this movement under the leadership of anti-discrimination student movement.

A month after the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government, the National Citizen Committee, a platform created by the anti-discrimination student movement led by the movement, has emerged as a new platform.

However, this organization will not start operations as a political party even if it starts as a political platform. This organization says that even though the government has been in place for more than 15 years, authoritarianism and mismanagement still remain in various sectors of the country. After the start of the journey in such a situation, the 'National Citizen Committee' will start their activities in the districts, upazilas and cities across the country. In this case, their first task will be reformation.

Former DACSU (Dhaka University Central Student Union) leader Akhtar Hossain is leading as member secretary.

Akhtar Hossain told BBC Bangla that it is a political platform, but we are not starting the journey as a political party now. When or how to act as a team depends on the future situation.

In the power-centered politics of Bangladesh, the two main political alliances of the country, Awami League and BNP, were in power for more than three decades. At that time, he tried to form a third political alliance in various critical situations, but it did not see the face of success.

Anti-discrimination students held 'Shahidi March' program on September 5

In this situation, this platform developed from the anti-discrimination student movement wants to change the political structure first by changing the constitution. After that, they want to focus on starting their journey as a political party. After the fall of Sheikh Hasina's government on August 8, the anti-discrimination student movement formed a six-member liaison committee under the new political arrangement.

Then Nahid Islam, one of the coordinators of this organization and advisor to the current interim government, said that this committee will dialogue and discuss with all stakeholders. This committee will also work to ensure the accountability of various functions of the government.

After that, for the last one month, the Lyons Committee has worked and finalized the outline of this National Citizen Committee.

Former student leader of Dhaka University Nasir Abdullah as convener and Democratic Student Shakti convener Akhtar Hossain as member secretary of the committee was finalized.

Ariful Islam Adib, a member of the Liajo Committee and convener of the National Citizens Committee, said that the committee was made up of those who were involved in the country's democracy and human rights work or political, social and cultural activities in the last one and a half decades.

Basically, the platform has representatives of youth and youth society. Those between the age of 28 to 44 years are predominant.

Akhtar Hossain, Member Secretary of the Citizens Committee, said that the senior citizens who are there will be kept as advisors to utilize their experience and advice.

Organizers of the National Citizens Committee say that the committee will work as a pressure group for the necessary reforms of the state.

Initially, the central convening committee will form civic committees at 64 districts and 12 metropolitan and upazila levels across the country. After that the council will be held nationally. That council will prepare a new full committee.

Anti-discrimination student movement leaders

Organizer Ariful Islam Adib said, Awami League has destroyed various institutions in the last fifteen years. A kind of vacuum has been created in those places after the fall of the government. This committee will work from the grassroots to the center to bring reforms in those areas.

The civic committee is insisting on amending or changing the constitution while doing this reform.

The leadership of the organization says, first of all, the newly formed committee will work to form the public opinion and prepare for the rewriting of the constitution.

Member Secretary Akhtar Hossain said that the current constitution of Bangladesh can revive fascism. That is why we want to strengthen this conversation among the people about a new constitution.

The primary committee of the anti-discrimination student movement was formed last July to demand quota reform in government jobs. In the beginning, the coordinating committee was 65 people. Later in the beginning of August, when the movement started with a one-point demand for the fall of the government, this committee was made full with 158 members.

The interim government formed after the August 5 change of government also has two of these coordinators. After the announcement of the inclusion of Nahid Islam and Asif Mahmud in the interim government, their activities were divided into several parts.

In this regard, the Liajo Committee which was established on August 8 to reform the state, is going to start the activities of the National Citizens Committee. In this case, those who are still in education, i.e. those who are studying in different institutions, will work with the already formed anti-discrimination student movement.

The program of anti-discrimination student movement centered around the demand for quota reform

This organization of anti-discrimination student movement will be led by Hasnat Abdullah, Sarjis Alam, Abdul Hannan Masood and Abu Bakr Majumder along with other coordinators.

Hasnat Abdullah said, there is no big difference between the two organizations. We will work with student citizens. And the civic committee will work on the rest.

And the National Citizen Committee will work with those who have completed their studentship and are now youth or young generation.

Akhtar Hossain, member secretary of the National Citizens Committee, said, “We all have the spirit and desire of the revolution.” The two platforms are united by the desire for an egalitarian and non-discriminatory society. There is no distinct difference.

The organizers who led the popular uprising of last August 5 say that Bangladesh has to be restructured in order to implement the new political language and the potential of the people that the student uprising has presented.

In this case initially they made this national citizen committee.

So the question of whether this committee is thinking about a non-political platform or a political future also comes back.

In response, this organization says that it is a political platform. All those coming here are politically aware. However, political parties or party politics are not their target for now.

The top organizers of the organization say that the current constitution is based on the four principles of nationalism, socialism and democracy and secularism. Now after the coup d'état there is a demand to write a new constitution.

Organizer Adib said that if the constitution is new, the constitution of the existing political parties must also be renewed. Because then many things can change in the new constitution. So we are not saying anything definitively right now.

The National Citizens Committee says that not all of those who are on this platform will do politics after it is launched as a political party in the future. Some will go to different sectors of the state, some can directly participate in politics from this platform.

Member Secretary Akhtar Hossain said, we will see the next political position, then we will take a decision on this.

They say that they are moving forward to stop fascism in politics in the future. The end of this can be through the formation of new political parties.

Bangladesh /MP