Students to Launch New Political Party within February

The Anti-Discrimination Student Movement and the Jatiya Nagorik Committee will announce the formation of a new moderate political party by this month following a week-long campaign titled ‘Apnar Chokhe Natun Bangladesh’.

The leaders of the platforms said this at a press briefing, held today at the central office of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement in city’s Bangla Motor area. The press conference was held for announcing a week-long programme to gather public opinions to form a moderate political party under the leadership of students and youths.

They said the campaign aims to collect around one lakh opinions from the public regarding the new political party.

They also urged the countrymen to propose names and symbols for the party, calling it a unique initiative in Bangladesh's political history, where public opinion is being sought on such a large scale.

At the event, anti-discrimination student movement convener Hasnat Abdullah said the ultimate victory has not yet come despite the fall of the fascist Sheikh Hasina’s government.

“We have only been able to bring down Hasina and Ganabhaban of the entire fascist state system. But we have not been able to eliminate the other elements of the autocratic system, so the people of the country are yet to achieve the final victory despite their long-standing struggle,” he said.

He said, “We have established a student-people's government by overthrowing the Awami fascist government led by Sheikh Hasina. Although we were able to overthrow the fascist Awami League, but the existing fascist elements in our state structure have not been completely eliminated.”
 
Hasnat Abdullah said, “Our points in the mass uprising were the elimination of fascism, the formation of a new political settlement, a new state structure, institutionalizing democracy, and building a Bangladesh with equality, human dignity, and social justice. Our work remains unfinished.”

He said the people of the country have always expressed their desire for a society and state system free from oppression and exploitation during the Pakistan period of 1947, the great liberation war of 1971 and the uprising of 1990. 

“But unfortunately our existing political structures and parties have failed to capture the hopes and aspirations of the people. At the same time, they have failed to turn this mass aspiration of the masses into reality,” Hasnat added.

He said that a constructive moment has once again appeared before the people of this country in exchange for the blood of the students and the masses in 2024. The new aspirations and state vision of the citizens of all walks of life, especially the young people, who participated in the uprising, have been created, he said. 

But, the convener of the anti-discrimination student movement said, the existing political parties are showing their failure to capture them. As a result, the students and the youths, the power of the uprising, have taken the initiative to form a political party with the anti-fascist masses of Bangladesh, capturing the new aspirations and state vision, he said.

Hasnat said, "Our political party should not belong to a specific class and should not become a specific ideology. We are committed to making it a voice for all levels of the society. We also want to represent those who feel left out of the country's existing political system. We want to listen to all citizens, we want to embrace everyone's aspirations."

Jatiya Nagorik Committee Convener Nasir Uddin Patwary said, “The people of Bangladesh have come to the movement of 2024. Through this, they wanted to build Bangladesh in a new form. The people of Bangladesh want reforms.”

He said the political party that is coming in this month is going to emerge under the initiative of the Jatiya Nagorik Committee and the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement. We hope to see that political party by February.

Nasiruddin Patwary said, "This is the largest consultative effort ever undertaken by a new political party in our country to gather public opinion."

Jatiya Nagorik Committee member secretary Akhtar Hossain and leaders of Anti-discrimination Movement were present at the event.
(Source: BSS)