The Sheikh Hasina government on Monday fell after thousands of protestors turned violent and stormed inside Bangladesh PM's official residence. After the bloodshed that took place in Bangladesh during the students' protest, the country's army took the matter into their own hands and asked Sheikh Hasina to resign from the post as soon as possible. After Sheikh Hasina's resignation, she reportedly fled to India in a military chopper. The following development came after clashes broke out on Sunday morning between protesters demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and supporters of the ruling party across various regions of Bangladesh. After Sheikh Hasina fled the country, thousands of student protestors expressed their jubilation and celebrated on the roads. Amid the entire controversy and attention of global media, a student named Nahid Islam has emerged. Now, the question is who is Nahid Islam, and why did his name pop up in the Bangladesh Students Protest?
Who is Nahid Islam?
Nahid Islam is among the six coordinators of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement in Bangladesh. Last month, 6 people leading the protest were held hostage by the Detective Branch for 6 days in the name of keeping them safe. Out of these, Nahid Islam, Asif Mahmud, and Abu Bakar Majumdar were injured and were undergoing treatment in hospitals.
As per reports, Nahid Islam and others mentioned above were forced to make videos to withdraw the movement. When they were in captivity, the Bangladesh Home Minister claimed that they had said to end the movement on their own. When the matter came to light, the anger of the protesters flared up further.
PM Hasina had called an emergency meeting of the Security Council on Sunday. She alleged that the protesters should come to the negotiating table. After the Sunday clashes, Nahid Islam announced that the Dhaka march proposed on Tuesday will now take place on Monday. He said, now the decision will be taken on the streets. Nahid Islam who became the biggest face of the student movement appealed to the protesters to continue their protest in Shahbagh until the government falls. Islam said on Sunday evening that the students are ready to deal with any situation. "We have picked up sticks today. If the sticks do not work then we are ready to take up arms," Nahid was quoted saying.
Addressing Sheikh Hasina, Nahid further said, "You have to decide whether you will still resort to violence and bloodshed or resign as per the students' demand..Our one-point demand has been announced. Now the outline of our future Bangladesh is yet to be announced. If we are kidnapped, murdered, or arrested; if there is no one to declare it, you will continue the movement.."
Islam called the Awami League terrorists and said that they have been deployed on the streets. He said that the Awami League wants to throw the country into a civil war.
For the unversed, Nahid Islam is a student of Dhaka University. Nahid Islam's fame skyrocketed within the country after he accused the police of picking him up on the morning of July 20. However, the police denied this. A video went viral on social media in which some people in uniform were making Nahid sit in a car. 24 hours after Islam's disappearance, he was found unconscious under a bridge. He claimed that he was beaten till he fainted.
Before Nahid, his friends Asif Mahmud and Abu Bakar were picked up on July 19. They were also beaten and left blindfolded in a remote area 6 days later. On July 26, all of them were taken into custody from the hospital itself. The police claimed that they were taken into custody keeping in mind their safety. After this, they were also made to make a video to end the movement.
Why did thousands of students protest against Sheikh Hasina?
The student demonstrations began in earnest after the Bangladesh High Court reinstated a quota system for government jobs. This decision undid a 2018 policy change that had eliminated the system under Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's administration. Prolonged demonstrations and rallies in Dhaka and other cities were the result of the widespread discontent among students caused by the reinstatement.
The quota system in Bangladesh has undergone several modifications since its introduction. It was designed to provide equitable opportunities to underrepresented groups, but the system has also faced criticism for restricting merit-based entry into government positions. The reintroduction of quotas has sparked a debate about the balance between affirmative action and meritocracy.