New Delhi: Student leader Nahid Islam, who was among those at the forefront of the July uprising, has stepped down as Information and Broadcasting (I&B) adviser to the interim government in Bangladesh. The 27-year-old now plans to float a new political party.
Islam’s resignation, effective immediately, was announced during a press briefing in Dhaka in the presence of chief adviser Muhammad Yunus.
The Students Against Discrimination (SAD), of which Nahid Islam was a spokesperson, spearheaded the July quota protests which eventually led to the ouster of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina. That the SAD was planning to float a political party was signalled by its convener Abdullah Hasnat in a Facebook post last week. “There is no chance to question our participation in state dialogue and new political pathlines. No excuse has the opportunity to stop us from the process of reforming the country,” Hasnat wrote.
Along similar lines, Nahid, who also served as adviser to the ministry of posts, and telecommunication and information and communication technology, said at the press briefing Tuesday that he will now focus on leading the newly-formed political party.
The party, to be launched on 28 February, will be a collaboration between Students Against Discrimination (SAD) and the Jatiya Nagorik Committee (JANAC). Nahid had previously hinted that he might step down as adviser to the interim government to float a political outfit if he felt direct engagement with the public was more vital than his advisory role.
The JANAC is a political platform floated after the July uprising.
In his resignation statement, Nahid emphasised that the advisory council would decide on his replacement. He also confirmed that two other student leaders who joined the council, Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuiyan and Mahfuj Alam, would continue in their roles for now.
The launch event for the new political party is scheduled for 3 pm on 28 February at Manik Mia Avenue, near the Jatiya Sangsad building in Dhaka. Details about party’s leadership structure will be revealed at the event, Business Standard Bangladesh reported.
Nahid Islam rose to prominence as the face of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, which began with protests against public sector job quotas in 2024 but soon escalated into a nationwide uprising. The movement resulted in the toppling of the Awami League (AL) government, forcing then prime minister Sheikh Hasina to flee the country.
Islam joined the government on 9 August last year and served within as a determined advocate of students’ rights. His resignation is seen as part of a broader political shift, particularly with elections possibly scheduled for the end of 2025, as Yunus announced. The chief adviser, however, has stated that he is not interested in running for office.
(Edited by Amrtansh Arora)
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