Student leader who ousted Sheikh Hasina, quits interim govt, eyes new party

Islam, 27,  said his role on the streets was more important than staying in government. He had held the Information & Broadcasting and Post and Telecommunications portfolios.

The Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, which led the July uprising, and its ally, Jatiya Nagorik Committee, recently announced plans to form a new political party in a Facebook post by it’s convener Abdullah Hasnat. Islam is expected to take a leading role in the new party.

“There is no chance to question our participation in state dialogue and new political pathlines. No excuse has the opportunity to stop us from the process of reforming the country,” Hasnat wrote.

Islam’s resignation comes amid criticism from Khaleda Zia’s Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and other groups, who oppose forming a party while still holding government positions. The Awami League has largely remained silent, with most of its leaders jailed or in hiding after last year’s unrest.

A UN fact-finding report stated that the previous government sought to crush the protests, leading to retaliatory violence that continued even after its fall, with an estimated 1,400 deaths between July 15 and August 15.

Two other student leaders in the advisory council, Mahfuz Alam and Asif Mahmud, remain in government. Islam said they would continue working towards the promised reforms.

Yunus has expressed support for the student-led party, praising their willingness to fight for the country’s future.

The student movement, which began in 2024 as protests against public sector job quotas, escalated into a nationwide uprising that led to the ousting of Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League government, forcing the former prime minister to flee the country.

Islam joined the government on August 9 last year and became a strong advocate for students’ rights. His resignation signals a broader political shift, particularly with elections potentially set for late 2025, as announced by Chief Adviser Yunus. However, Yunus has stated that he has no intention of running for office.