Gonotantrik chhatra sangsad: 30 from pvt univs now in committee
Bangladesh Gonotantrik Chhatra Sangsad, the newly emerged independent student organisation, announced its full central committee yesterday.
The 205-member committee includes at least 30 private university students who were directly involved in the July uprising.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. According to several private university representatives, they will review the full committee and decide whether to accept the positions or resign.
3 MEMBERS QUIT
Meanwhile, three members of the new student body have already resigned from their appointed posts.
During the organisation's inauguration on Wednesday, Rifat Rashid, a DU student, was appointed as the senior joint member secretary of the central committee. He reportedly resigned from his post yesterday, citing personal reasons. Al Mashnun, a student of Chittagong University, replaced Rifat.
Sources close to Rifat, however, said that Rifat resigned because he did not get the position he desired.
Meanwhile, hours after the full committee was announced, former SAD coordinators from Rajshahi University (RU), Mehedi Sajib and Salauddin Ammar, also resigned from their appointed posts.
They announced their decisions to step down from the posts of joint convenor and joint member secretary, respectively, through separate Facebook posts.
Speaking to The Daily Star, Salahuddin and Mehedi said the new student organisation lacked inclusivity as stakeholders from Rajshahi University were not consulted before its launch.
They added that RU students expressed dissatisfaction with this political platform so they could align themselves with it.
'INDEPENDENT BODY'
Abu Baker Majumder, convener of the new student body, announced the full committee in front of the Madhur Canteen at the Dhaka University campus around 4:30pm yesterday.
Before unveiling the committee, Abu Baker shared the vision for the new student organisation, focusing on the need for change in student politics.
"We've discussed with students the ideal structure for a student organisation in a new Bangladesh. Students no longer want politics tied to major party affiliations. Our organisation will be independent of such practices, with leadership democratically elected and an age limit enforced," he said.
The central committee has set the age limit at 28, allowing students to hold leadership roles for a maximum of seven years after enrolling.
Addressing an unexpected disruption during the inauguration, Abu Baker explained, "A group caused trouble, preventing the full committee announcement. We've resolved the issue and will ensure it doesn't recur."
He also announced the formation of a three-member probe committee to investigate the incident.
Abu Baker reaffirmed the organisation's commitment to the ideals of the July uprising and encouraged students to join various units within the organisation.
CENTRAL COMMITTEE
"Education, Unity, Liberation" is the motto of the new student organisation.
The central committee is as follows: Abu Baker Majumder, convener; Tawhid Mohammad Siam, senior joint convener; Zahid Ahsan, member secretary; Al Mashnun, senior joint member secretary; Tahmid Al Muddassir Chowdhury, chief organiser; and Ashrefa Khatun, spokesperson.
The organisation's 250-member DU unit will have Abdul Kader as convener; Limon Mahmud Hasan as senior joint convener; Mohir Alam as member secretary; Al Amin Sarker as senior joint member secretary; Hasib Al Islam as chief organiser; and Rafia Rehnuma Hridi as spokesperson.
SCUFFLE MARS LAUNCH
Led by former leaders of the Students Against Discrimination (SAD), the new student body was officially launched on Wednesday amid protests by private university students for their exclusion despite their role in the July uprising. Both groups even engaged in scuffles, chases and counter-chases.
Later that night, after the blockade of Banglamotor, private university students, who have long been alleging their exclusion from all post-August 5 platforms and committees, demanded immediate dissolution of the committee prepared without their representation and threatened demonstrations across private universities if their demand is not met.
They also threatened to go for a programme called "Dhaka Blockade" on Friday, the day a new political party is to be launched by members of SAD and the Jatiya Nagorik Committee.
According to private university students, they have decided not to enforce the "Dhaka Blockade" on Friday.
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