The "Anti-Discrimination Student Movement," which originated during the quota reform movement and escalated into a mass uprising that ultimately led to the overthrow of Sheikh Hasina’s government, is now preparing to form a political party.
From September 8 to September 18, representatives of the movement visited 44 districts, holding view-exchange programs.
These programs attracted people from various walks of life, who shared their aspirations for national reform with the platform’s coordinators.
Despite growing anticipation, no official statement has been made by the coordinators of the movement regarding their formal entry into politics.
However, several insiders have suggested that the movement aims to uphold the spirit of the uprising and prevent the resurgence of the Awami League.
According to sources, the movement is initially planning to form a national committee of 101 members.
This committee will act as a pressure group to ensure the government accelerates its work.
Since the fall of the Hasina government, numerous incidents have occurred in the name of the movement's coordinators.
The view-exchange programs were organized to address these anomalies, according to the coordinators.
The district and upazila committees will coordinate with local administrative bodies until stability is restored.
Abdul Kader, a coordinator of the movement, said: “A vested quarter has been exploiting the platform's identity, and when we dissolved the committees, we were unable to resolve this issue. We can’t take any official action against them as a platform, which is why forming official district and upazila committees has become essential to stop this problem at its root."
Following the district-level meetings, a central view-exchange gathering was held on September 20 at the Teacher-Student Center (TSC) of Dhaka University, where coordinators and representatives from various regions and educational institutions discussed strategies to strengthen the movement’s organization.
Hasib Al Islam, a coordinator, said that committees will be established at both district and upazila levels, as fake coordinators have been emerging.
He added that no members of the Bangladesh Chhatra League will be allowed in these committees, and any members previously affiliated with the Chhatra Dal or Shibir will be required to leave those organizations.
Another movement coordinator, Abdul Hannan Masud, said that the formation of a central committee is being considered.
Coordinator Abu Baker Majumder said that the meetings were held to listen to the people and support the families of those injured or killed during the movement.
The Anti-Discrimination Student Movement is planning to organize people and create a new political structure aimed at dismantling what they see as a fascist regime.
Several meetings have also resulted in proposals to amend the country’s constitution and ensure transparency in state affairs.
Other priorities discussed in the meetings included preserving the spirit of the July-August uprising, providing proper treatment for those injured during the movement, and broadening rehabilitation efforts.
Additionally, local issues such as ending extortion, halting tender manipulation in politics, and implementing educational reforms were addressed.
Hasib Al Islam, who has been holding view-exchange programs across Sylhet, said that participants in these districts are encouraging the movement to transition into a political platform.
The mass uprising that toppled the Awami League government on August 5 was led by the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement. Two advisers in the current interim government, Nahid Islam and Asif Mahmud, both former leaders of the Gonotantrik Chhatra Shakti, are central coordinators of the movement.
