The coordinators who resigned from the Jahangirnagar University (JU) branch of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement have announced a new platform. They have declared the formation of a new organization named “United Movement for the Protection of the Mass Uprising.” This announcement was made during a press conference held at 3:45 PM on Monday (October 21) in the conference room of the university’s Student-Teacher Center. At the time, a four-member convening committee was also announced.
In this committee, Abdurrashid Jitu, a student from the 47th batch of the university and former central coordinator of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, was appointed as the convener, while Fahmida Faiza, a student from the 48th batch and former coordinator, was made the member secretary. Additionally, Imran Shahriar from the 46th batch was named the spokesperson of the new organization, and Rudra Muhammad Safiullah, a student from the 47th batch and former coordinator, was appointed as the joint convener.
In a written statement at the press conference, Imran Shahriar said, “Through a bloody struggle, we have achieved our desired second independence. A new dream of Bangladesh was awakened in the hearts of the entire nation through the mass uprising, a dream of a new Bangladesh where there would be no fascist forces, no discrimination or oppression. There would be a guarantee of justice, security of livelihood for ordinary people, and universities would be safe and suitable places for higher education. In line with this dream, the people gave their support to the newly formed interim government. But now we see that the ideals people cherished when they supported this government are not being upheld by the government. Both fascist allies within the government and pro-fascist forces outside it are continuously obstructing the interim government from upholding the spirit of this mass uprising.”
Expressing concern over the failure of the spirit of the mass uprising, Imran Shahriar added, “Fascist forces are slowly being rehabilitated. The security of people’s livelihood in the new Bangladesh is diminishing day by day. The constitutional and institutional reforms we had hoped for are facing significant delays. In this situation, there is a growing fear that the spirit of the mass uprising might fail. In such circumstances, we have formed the United Movement for the Protection of the Mass Uprising platform to work together. We will assist the interim government with all our strength in preserving the mass uprising and, if necessary, we are ready to shed blood again for this cause.”
Earlier, on October 3 at 4:45 PM, 17 coordinators and assistant coordinators of the Jahangirnagar University branch of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement resigned together during a press conference at the university’s Student-Teacher Center.
On that day, two reasons for the resignation were mentioned at the press conference. The reasons were: the controversial actions of certain coordinators of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement at JU and their attempts to use their influence for personal gain, and the movement’s behavior resembling that of the ruling party and its actions against the spirit of the mass uprising.
The coordinators who resigned include Abdurrashid Jitu, Rudra Muhammad Safiullah, Hasib Zaman, Zahidul Islam Imon, Zahidul Islam, Fahmida Faiza, Rukaiya Jannat Jhalak, Mishu Khatun, Rafid Hasan Rajon, Hasanur Rahman Sumon, Abdul Hai Swapan, Nasim Al Tariq, Oindrila Majumdar, and the assistant coordinators Zia Uddin Ayan, Tanzim Ahmed, Zahidul Islam Bappi, and Saidul Islam. Abdurrashid Jitu was serving as the central coordinator at the time.
