Government Appoints Anti-Discrimination Student Leaders as Advisors
The advisors of the interim government are Nahid Islam and Asif Mahmud Sajib Bhuiyan, two coordinators of the anti-discrimination student movement. Both are students of Dhaka University.
Nahid Islam, son of Banshree of Dhaka, was admitted to the Department of Sociology of Dhaka University in the academic year 2016-17. Asif Mahmud, a student of the 2017-18 academic year of the Department of Linguistics, lives in Comilla.
The movement, which began in July to demand quota reforms in government jobs, was led by the anti-discrimination student movement. Nahid Islam became a prominent figure by speaking out as the coordinator of the movement. After the government imposed a curfew to quell the movement, Nahid and other coordinators were removed. Following this, Nahid was found injured on the side of the road, and Asif received an injection that raised suspicions.
After their release, the two coordinators were admitted to Gonoshasthaya Nagar Hospital in the capital. They were later picked up by the Detective Police (DB) and three other coordinators were arrested. Nahid was forced to announce the withdrawal of the movement in a video message.
DB eventually released the coordinators under pressure. They reappeared and renewed their call for the government’s downfall. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resigned in response to student protests, and a new government is now being formed.
Both Nahid and Asif are leaders of the Democratic Chhatra Shakti student organization. Nahid is the member secretary of the central committee, while Asif is the convener of the Dhaka University branch. Asif previously led Chhatra Odhikar Parishad, the student wing of the Gana Odhikar Parishad political party.