Staff Reporter :
In a surprising development, the Gonotantrik Chhatra Shakti, a student-led organisation that played a pivotal role in the fall of the Awami League government, has suspended all its committees and activities, just shy of its one-year anniversary.
The organisation, led by key figures Nahid Islam and Asif Mahmud Sajib Bhuiyan, both now serving as advisors in the interim government, was instrumental in galvanising mass protests against the previous government.
The movement’s impact on student politics has been profound, leading to a two-and-a-half-month suspension of academic activities at Dhaka University. Classes are scheduled to resume on September 22. However, some students are demanding a complete ban on partisan political activities on campus, staging protests to press their case.
This demand traces back to the earlier quota reform movement, where Abdul Kader, a coordinator of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, outlined a nine-point agenda. One of his key demands was to ban partisan student politics and reinstate student unions as a means of promoting constructive governance within educational institutions.
The anti-government protests that culminated in the fall of the Awami League continued until August 3. During a rally at the Central Shaheed Minar, Nahid Islam called for the dissolution of the government and an end to fascism. Since then, some Dhaka University students have rallied for a permanent ban on partisan politics on campus. What began as a social media discussion has now evolved into physical protests, with students staging rallies and human chains. Even with the announcement of resumed classes, they remain steadfast, refusing to attend unless their demands are met.
The tension has led some students to turn to social media, calling on the leaders of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement to clarify their stance on campus politics. Many of these leaders are linked to the Gonotantrik Chhatra Shakti, further complicating the situation.
In the early hours of Friday night, Gonotantrik Chhatra Shakti released a statement on their official Facebook page, announcing the suspension of all organisational activities. The reasons behind this decision, however, remain unclear.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, a leader from the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement and the now-suspended Gonotantrik Chhatra Shakti told *Prothom Alo*, “We want to avoid any ongoing controversy. Since we advocated for a ban on partisan student politics, we want to remain transparent with the students.”
Abu Bakar Majumdar, another coordinator of the movement and former secretary of the suspended Dhaka University chapter of Gonotantrik Chhatra Shakti, shed some light on the decision.
“Our goals and objectives have been largely fulfilled. We had been considering suspending the organisation’s activities for some time. After the fall of the fascist government, we reached a decision around August 9 or 10, and the suspension was made official on Friday. There isn’t any special reason behind it.”
When asked if this marks the end of the organisation’s political journey, Majumdar said that discussions are ongoing. He reaffirmed their opposition to partisan student politics on campus, stressing the importance of constructive politics through student unions.