Faction of Chhatra Odhikar Parishad announces new convener committee

A faction of Bangladesh Sadharon Chhatra Odhikar Songrokkhon Parishad announced a new 22-member convener committee after declaring its joint conveners Nurul Haque Nur -- also Ducsu former vice-president -- and Muhammad Rashed Khan as "unwanted" today.

The faction's new committee convener APM Suhel confirmed it to The Daily Star.

"We have taken this decision in protest of the dirty politics, lack of financial transparency, arbitrariness, managing the organisation undemocratically, and the recent attempt to politicise the rape case of a DU student by deviating from the original goals and objectives," he said.

APM Suhel also said, "Due to differences of opinion, we have decided to go back to the old name of the organisation."

When asked about the split in the organisation, former Ducsu VP Nur told The Daily Star, "Apart from APM Suhel, none of the members of the new organisation's committee were in my organisation. And Suhel had already been expelled from the organisation."

"We think that this committee has been formed to put pressure on us under the patronage or persuasion of the government. Our crime is to speak out against various irregularities of the government," he said, adding, "Everyone has the democratic right to form a new organisation and the people will judge which is real and which is fake."

Meanwhile, the new committee, in a press release today, said that the main goal and objective of the Bangladesh Sadharon Chhatra Odhikar Songrokkhon Parishad was to work for the welfare of the country and the people as a political-social organisation.

The name of the organisation was shortened at the inauguration ceremony of its third founding year on 17 February 2020, amid opposition from many who are now in the new committee.

After the expiration of Ducsu's term, with an initiative of Sadharon Chhatra Odhikar Parishad, three affiliated organisations -- Bangladesh Jubo Odhikar Parishad, Sharimik Odhikar Parishad and Prabasi Odhikar Parishad -- were formed with the intention of doing politics in a hurry, it said.

"The aims and objectives of these organisations are still unknown to us. As a result, resentment within the organisation accumulated and the grassroots leaders of the organisation opposed it," it also said.

"In such a situation, considering everything, Nur and Rashed were declared unwanted. And with the main goal and objective of the old name -- Bangladesh Sadharon Chhatra Odhikar Songrokkhon Parishad -- we have officially started our activities to build a non-discriminatory, happy, prosperous Bangladesh, staying away from all forms of irregularities and injustices," the new committee said.

APM Suhel has been made the convener and Ismail Samrat has been made the member secretary of the committee.

Syed Samiul Islam has been made joint secretary. There are 14 joint conveners in the committee. They are Aminur Rahman, Jalal Ahmed, Abdur Rahim, Aminul Haque Rubel, Riyad Hossain, Md Selim, Shakil Adnan, Nadeem Khan Niloy, Prithu Hamid, AKM Rajan Hossain, Md Saiful Islam, Sajjadur Rahman Rafi, Afran Nahid Nisho and Jahedul Islam Noman.

Besides, Mizanur Rahman Mushfiq, Md Siam and Md Junaid are members and Mohammad Ullah Madhu and Muzammel Miyaji are the advisors of the new committee.