Another feather in Nahid’s cap
A couple of 26-year-olds made history on August 8, 2024 when they took oath as advisers of the interim government. Both Dhaka University students, Nahid Islam and Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuyain, were the youngest to ever become cabinet members of the Bangladesh government.
One of the faces of the July uprising, Nahid Islam's political journey takes a new turn today raising hopes that it heralds a new wave of youth leadership in Bangladeshi politics. The former information adviser—he quit cabinet three days ago—is set to helm the National Citizen Party (Jatiya Nagorik Party in Bangla).
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. Strong cross-currents had led to rifts within the July uprising leaders, Nahid had remained the frontrunner for the party's top post with almost unanimous consent, making him the youngest leader of a political party in Bangladesh.
A comparison with major political entities like the Awami League, BNP, Jatiya Party, National Awami Party, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal and Gono Odhikar Parishad reveals that no one as young as Nahid has previously assumed such a pivotal leadership.
After the 1947 partition of the Indian sub-continent, the Communist Party of Pakistan was formed on March 6, 1948 and on the same day the East Bengal provincial committee of the party was formed with the 41-year-old Khoka Roy as secretary.
Maulana Abdul Hamid Khan Bhasani was made president of the East Pakistan Awami Muslim League in 1949 when he was 69.
Bhasani was 77 when he formed National Awami Party, leaving Awami League.
ASM Abdur Rab and MA Jalil, joint convenors of Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal were 27 and 30 respectively when the party was launched in October 1972, within a year after Bangladesh's birth.
In September 1978 General Ziaur Rahman became convenor of BNP when he was 42.
Another general, Hussain Muhammad Ershad became chairman of the Jatiya Party at the age of 56 in January 1986.
Dr Kamal Hossain, an eminent lawyer and a former Awami League leader, became Gano Forum's chief in August 1993 and he was 55.
Bangladesh Gono Odhikar Parishad — was launched in October 2021 with former Gono Forum leader Reza Kibria as the convenor and former Ducsu Vice Present Nurul Haque Nur as member secretary respectively.
Nur was 27 years 8 months.
Nahid along with a few other students led the quota reform protests since July 1, 2024. The protests soon spread across the country and eventually turned into a mass upsurge. It forced Sheikh Hasina to resign as prime minister and flee on August 5.
Nahid and five other protest organisers were taken into custody by the Detective Branch of Dhaka Metropolitan Police during the protest.
A master's student of sociology at Dhaka University, Nahid is also the member secretary of Ganotantrik Chhatra Shakti, a breakaway faction of the Chhatra Odhikar Parishad, led by Nurul Haque Nur.
Nahid also took part in 2018 quota protest. He is 26 years 9 months 29 days old today.
Comments