'Mass uprising and anti-discrimination student movement are not the same'

Local coordinators are alleging that the convening committee of the anti-discrimination student movement in Bogura has been formed for political purposes. They say that the mass uprising of the students and the anti-discrimination student movement are not the same. Along with this, the anti-discrimination student movement is also being accused of taking credit for the mass uprising of the students and the public.

Local coordinators allege that the anti-discrimination movement is trying to take away the success of the people in the mass uprising. They could have formed a political organization under a different name. It is inappropriate to form a political organization for their interests over the blood of the people.

Nazmul Hasan Nehal, the Bogura coordinator of the anti-discrimination student movement and the general secretary of the Nandigram upazila unit Chhatra Odhikar Parishad, said: "The movement was not successful without political power. People from all walks of life in the country came together under the banner of the anti-discrimination student movement. Forming a political organization using that name is like cheating the people."

Saikat Hasan, the organizing secretary of the district committee of the Chhatra Odhikar Parishad, also the coordinator in Bogura, said: "The anti-discrimination student movement was built by our hard labour. The people will not accept a political organization in this name. People from all classes and professions participated in the movement. As a result, a mass uprising took place. The mass uprising of students and the public and the anti-discrimination student movement organization are not the same."

He also said: "Many people can be seen in the anti-discrimination movement organization who did not play any important role in the movement. If it were a non-political organization, not a political one, people from all classes and professions would have participated in it. The anti-discrimination movement was built with the participation of students, workers, and the public. But the anti-discrimination student movement is trying to take credit alone by becoming a political organization."

On July 15 last year, a committee was announced in Bogura, approved by Mahin Sarkar, the central coordinator of the anti-discrimination student movement. There were seven coordinators in that 17-member committee. Two of them are in the anti-discrimination student movement while five others left the organization. They do not support the political activities of the anti-discrimination student movement.

Azim Uddin is the main organizer of the anti-discrimination student movement in Bogura. He also serves as the coordinator of the anti-discrimination movement in the district.

Azim Uddin said: "I was earlier the publicity secretary of the Bogura district of the Student Rights Council. Later, I left the organization. Now I am on the committee of the anti-discrimination student movement. On Thursday (January 30), our convening committee was approved."

Asked about the allegations brought against them, he said: "We cannot agree with those claims as we think that there is no harm in forming a political group with the name."