Nahid Islam, a 26-year-old student, led the protests that resulted in the ousting of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, ending her 15-year rule and forcing her to flee to neighboring India.
In the wake of Hasina’s removal, Bangladesh’s Army Chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman announced on Monday the formation of an interim government following “fruitful” discussions with leaders of major political parties.
Islam, a soft-spoken Sociology student, initially gained prominence as the coordinator of a student movement protesting quotas in government jobs, which eventually escalated into a nationwide campaign to remove Hasina from power, according to Reuters.
Born in Dhaka in 1998 to a teacher, Islam emerged as a key figure in the protests last month after being detained by police along with several other Dhaka University students. The police crackdown aimed to suppress the anti-quota protests, which had turned deadly, resulting in around 300 fatalities.
Islam, alongside other student leaders, was scheduled to meet with the country’s army chief today. However, General Zaman preempted the meeting by announcing the resignation of the former prime minister and the establishment of an interim government to govern Bangladesh.
Regarding the country’s future, Islam stated that students would not accept any government led or supported by the military. He proposed Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus as the chief adviser for the future government.
“Any government other than the one we recommended will not be accepted,” Islam declared in a Facebook post today.
Speaking to the media a day earlier, Islam emphasized that the students would honor the sacrifices of the martyrs who died for their cause.
“We will build a new democratic Bangladesh, committed to the security of life, social justice, and a new political landscape,” Islam said, flanked by other student leaders.
He dismissed the possibility of a return to what he called “fascist rule” and urged fellow students to protect minorities and their places of worship amid the country’s volatile situation.
Nakib Islam, a Geography student, spoke to Reuters about Nahid Islam’s dedication and resilience. He described how, even after being tortured and left unconscious by the police, Nahid continued to fight for their cause.
“We have confidence that he will not give up. We are proud of him,” Nakib added.
Meanwhile, Sabrina Karim, an Associate Professor of Government at Cornell University who specializes in political violence, described the developments in Bangladesh as “historic.”
“This might very well be the first successful Gen Z-led revolution. There is perhaps some optimism for a democratic transition, even if the military is involved in the process,” Karim noted.
I am an experienced writer, analyst, and author. My exposure in English journalism spans more than 28 years. In the past, I have been working with daily The Muslim (Lahore Bureau), daily Business Recorder (Lahore/Islamabad Bureaus), Daily Times, Islamabad, daily The Nation (Lahore and Karachi). With daily The Nation, I have served as Resident Editor, Karachi. Since 2009, I have been working as a Freelance Writer/Editor for American organizations.
