Nahid Islam
Nahid Islam | |
---|---|
নাহিদ ইসলাম | |
Adviser for Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology | |
Assumed office 9 August 2024 | |
Chief Adviser | Muhammad Yunus |
Preceded by | Zunaid Ahmed Palak |
Adviser for Information and Broadcasting | |
Assumed office 16 August 2024 | |
Chief Adviser | Muhammad Yunus |
Preceded by | Mohammad A Arafat |
Personal details | |
Born | 1998 (age 25–26) Dhaka, Bangladesh |
Education | Department of Sociology, Dhaka University |
Occupation | Social activist |
Profession | Student Activist |
Nickname | Fahim[1] |
Nahid Islam (Bengali: নাহিদ ইসলাম; born 1998) is a Bangladeshi student activist who serves as an advisor to the 2024 Bangladesh interim government.[2][3] He is a key coordinator of the Anti-discrimination Students Movement, which led the 2024 Bangladesh quota reform and non-cooperation movements, ultimately resulting in Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's resignation.[4]
Early life and education
[edit]Nahid was born in Dhaka in 1998[1] and is currently a sociology student at the University of Dhaka. He completed his intermediate education at Govt. Science College in Tejgaon. His father is a teacher and his mother is a housewife. His younger brother, Nakib, is also a student at the University of Dhaka.[5]
Activism
[edit]Nahid is a coordinator for the Anti-discrimination Students Movement, which organized protests advocating for quota reforms in government jobs. The movement later expanded into a non-cooperation campaign demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her government.[6] He gained national attention in mid-July 2024 when he and five other coordinators were detained by the Detective Branch as the protests escalated.[7]
Following the resignation and departure of Hasina to India, Nahid stated that their objectives were not fully achieved. The group then aimed to "abolish fascist systems forever" and called on Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus to lead an interim government, which Yunus agreed to.[8]
Career
[edit]Nahid was sworn in as an adviser for information and communications technology to the interim government.[9][10]
Abduction and Detainment
[edit]Islam was reportedly taken from a house in Sabujbagh by approximately 25 men in plainclothes at midnight on July 19, 2024.[11][12] He was blindfolded, handcuffed, and transported to a location where he was questioned about his involvement in the student movement and subjected to mistreatment. On July 21, he was found unconscious and injured under a bridge in Purbachal.[11] On July 26, he was apprehended at Gonoshasthaya Nagar Hospital in Dhanmondi by individuals identifying themselves as members of various intelligence agencies, including the Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s Detective Branch.[13]
The Detective Branch later confirmed that they had taken Islam and five other coordinators of the Anti-discrimination Students Movement for "safety reasons."[14] Subsequently, Nahid and other coordinators issued a statement from the Detective Branch headquarters, urging the protesters to call off the demonstrations, citing that the movement's main objective of reforming the quotas had been achieved.[15] However, Nahid later clarified that he had been coerced into making the statement.[16]
References
[edit]- ^ a b "উপদেষ্টা নাহিদ ইসলাম সম্পর্কে জেনে নিন আরও কিছু তথ্য". Daily Kalbela (in Bengali). Retrieved 2024-08-09.
- ^ Saad, Muntakim; Islam, Rafiul (9 August 2024). "From students to youngest-ever advisers". The Daily Star.
- ^ "Who is Nahid Islam, student who led protests that ousted Sheikh Hasina and is part of interim Bangladesh govt?". Firstpost. 6 August 2024.
- ^ Hasnat, Saif; Mashal, Mujib; Bigg, Matthew Mpoke. "Bangladesh's Leader Resigns and Flees Country After Protests". The New York Times.
- ^ "Who is Nahid Islam, soft-spoken sociology student leader behind fall of Bangladesh government". The Times of India. 2024-08-06. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 2024-08-06.
- ^ Hossain, Akbar; Ethirajan, Anbarasan (17 July 2024). "Deadly unrest over job quotas grips Bangladesh". BBC. Retrieved 2024-08-06.
- ^ Paul, Ruma; Das, Krishna N. (6 August 2024). "Who is Nahid Islam, student leader of campaign to oust PM Sheikh Hasina?". Reuters. Retrieved 6 August 2024.
{{cite news}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Ripon, Isaac Yee, Tanbirul Miraj (2024-08-05). "Bangladesh prime minister flees to India as anti-government protesters storm her residence". CNN. Retrieved 2024-08-06.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ "Nahid gets ICT Ministry, Asif to head Sports Ministry". banglanews24.com (in Bengali). 9 August 2024.
- ^ "Who are the possible faces of the interim government of Bangladesh?". The Business Standard. 2024-08-08. Retrieved 2024-08-08.
- ^ a b "Who is Nahid Islam? Student Leader Behind Protests in Bangladesh! Check here!". Jagranjosh.com. 2024-08-06. Retrieved 2024-08-09.
- ^ "Who Is Nahid Islam, Student Leader Who Led Protests Against Sheikh Hasina". NDTV. 2024-08-06. Retrieved 2024-08-10.
- ^ "Bangladeshi students allege police torture after protests crackdown". The Guardian. 23 July 2024.
- ^ "Quota protest coordinators Asif, Nahid, Baker 'taken into DB custody for security reasons'". The Business Standard. 26 July 2024.
- ^ "Six quota coordinators in DB custody 'call off all protest programmes'". The Business Standard. 28 July 2024.
- ^ "We were forcibly detained, didn't voluntarily issue movement withdrawal statement". The Daily Star. 2 August 2024.