New student-led party’s journey to ‘fulfil youth expectations’: Asif Nazrul

“Akhtar’s new organisation has made the impossible possible in a few months,” the interim government advisor says

The new political party formed by leaders from the July Uprising is setting out to fulfil the “expectations of students and the youth”, says Law Advisor Asif Nazrul.

On Friday, the interim government advisor made a long post on Facebook about the National Citizen Party, or NCP, which has been formed under an initiative by the Anti-discrimination Student Movement and the National Citizens Committee.

Wishing the party well, Asif wrote: "Today, Nahid [Islam] and Akhtar [Hossain] are starting a new journey. The journey of their new party has begun to fulfil the expectations of the students and youth of the July Uprising. Many prayers and good wishes for everyone in the National Citizen Party."

The party is making its debut in the political arena with a rally in front of the Parliament Building on Manik Mia Avenue.

With Nahid as the party convener and Akhtar as the member secretary, the party’s top committee has 11 members.

Asif wrote that, after the 12th national parliamentary elections, he fell into depression. Referring to Akhtar, a former social service secretary of DUCSU and a former law student who now holds a prominent position in the NCP, he said:

“Then, one day, Akhtar Hossain came to the Department of Law at Dhaka University. I had to convince him to move from his home to Dhaka to complete his postgraduate studies. But even after he finished, Akhtar had no desire to leave the campus.”

“He stopped my car and greeted me. Then he stood there for a while, shaking his head. I got annoyed. I got even more annoyed when he said he would leave the group led by [Nurul Haque] Nur and Rashed [Khan] and form a new organisation. I said: ‘Another new party! How many more times do you want to be beaten up!’ He kept his head down, but smiled softly. I couldn’t understand this strange smile.”

The Gonotantrik Chhatra Shakti group Akhtar formed made up much of the leadership of the Anti-discrimination Student Movement. That platform would go on to transform a movement for quota reforms into one that toppled the Awami League regime.

Regarding Akhtar's political foresight, Asif said, "My heart was torn asunder by sorrow and despair when, a few days later, I saw a picture of him [Akhtar] after he had been beaten bloody by the Chhatra League. Why was he doing all of this? Didn’t he understand that nothing would happen? It was I who didn’t understand."

Commenting that Akhtar's new organisation “made the impossible possible” within a few months, the law advisor said, "Sheikh Hasina has fallen. Nahid, a member of his organisation, has become the main leader of the mass uprising."

Nahid left the post of advisor to the interim government a few days ago to take charge as the convener of the NCP. Nahid completed his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from the Department of Sociology of Dhaka University and played a key role in the Anti-discrimination Student Movement protests.

Asif also showered Nahid with praise in his post.

He said, "During the July Uprising, he was the leader of me and millions of people like me! Then I worked with Nahid in the new government. How many times did he amaze me with his competence, eloquence, personality and unimaginable maturity!”