Debates have arisen over the member secretary position in the upcoming new political party.
The individuals under consideration for this role include Jatiya Nagorik Committee (JNC) Convener Nasiruddin Patwary, JNC member secretary Akhtar Hossain, and Sarjis Alam, the chief organizer of JNC.
Adviser Nahid Islam is expected to assume the role of convener for the newly forming political party, according to students involved in the July uprising.
The new party, formed by students from the July uprising, is anticipated to finalize its name and other details by the third week of February.
The official journey of the party is expected to begin with the announcement of the convening committee in the last week of this month, which could occur before or after February 25th.
According to Nasiruddin Patwary, the official announcement of the new political party may come any day between February 15th and 28th. However, Akhtar Hossain, suggests that the party’s announcement may be delayed until the end of February.
According to top executives from the Jatiya Nagorik Committee, Nahid Islam is considered the “favorite” for the top position.
Meanwhile, Akhtar Hossain, Nasiruddin Patwary, and Sarjis Alam are being discussed for the "second" highest position.
Student leadership is currently divided into four factions.
One faction consists of leaders from Gonotantrik Chhatra Shakti, while another includes former leaders of Islami Chhatra Shibir and student organizations affiliated with various Islamic parties.
The other two factions are made up of left-wing student organizations and activists from the Gono Odikar Parishad and AB Party.
These factions remain at odds on various issues, and despite efforts to resolve conflicts, tensions persist.
Accusations have arisen that former leaders with affiliations to Shibir are being excluded from leadership positions.
However, all parties involved have expressed that a resolution is possible through continued discussions.
The concern about a potential split or the formation of multiple parties before the party's official formation has largely been alleviated, following discussions held on Sunday.
If a decision on leadership positions cannot be reached, the new party’s announcement may be delayed beyond February 24th.
In this case, the party's official launch could be postponed.
The JNC has held several meetings in recent weeks, but no decision has yet been made.
Sources indicate that the Shibir-led faction demanded Ali Ahsan Junayed be appointed member secretary of the new political party, alongside at least four of the top ten positions.
They even threatened to leave the JNC and form a new organization if their demands were not met.
As a result, this faction boycotted the central executive committee meeting held on Sunday afternoon, citing a lack of positive responses from key policymakers.
The JNC’s central committee held a general meeting, with 115 of the 188 members in attendance.
The meeting resolved to form a 75-member "preparatory committee" to help establish the party.
Similarly, the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement will form its own committee.
The two committees will coordinate to determine the party’s structure and the number of positions available.
The discussion also included the possibility of increasing the number of spokesperson and chief organizer positions to accommodate more leaders.
Several notable figures, including Ali Ahsan Junayed, the former president of Dhaka University Chhatra Shibir, and Rafe Salman Rifat, another former president of Dhaka University Chhatra Shibir, were absent from the meeting.
The ADSM and JNC are seeking public input for the new political party through an online survey titled "New Bangladesh in Your Eyes."
The survey asks participants about the party’s priorities, issues they would like addressed, and suggestions for the party’s name and symbol.
So far, approximately 200,000 people have participated, and their feedback will be used to shape the party's platform and identity.
Initial survey results indicate that people want the new party to prioritize democracy, citizens' rights, justice, and anti-discrimination.
These values are likely to be reflected in the party's name, which will be finalized based on the survey results.
The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has expressed support for the youth-led initiative to form a new political party.
In a virtual address on January 25, BNP's acting chairman Tarique Rahman emphasized that any political party formed with state or administrative support would disillusion the public.
He said: "The youth will create new paths by moving away from the past. But those paths must be transparent, not questionable."