The National Citizens Committee made its debut on Sunday, as a platform to channel the hopes and aspirations of the various sections of society that came together led by the Anti-Discrimination Students movement, to topple the previous Awami League-led government last August 5.

The 55-member committee announced today will work towards realising a political settlement among the various stakeholders and will remain committed to eradicating fascism in all its forms from society. To that end, it will act as a pressure group to restructure the state.

Convenor Muhammad Nasiruddin Patwari announced the committee on behalf of the organization at an event at the Central Shaheed Minar in the afternoon. Nasiruddin has been a member of the Anti-Discrimination Students (ADS) movement's Liaison Committee.

Akhtar Hossain, an ex-DUCSU secretary for social welfare, and central convener of Democratic Student Power (Gonotantrik Chhatra Shakti), an alternative students' platform that was formed last year, will serve as the NCC's member secretary. Akhtar was a leading figure in the ADS movement. 

Although he was careful to avoid the limelight, detectives eventually figured out his role and he was picked up by law enforcers on July 17. He would not be released till after Sheikh Hasina resigned and left the country.

Samantha Sharmin, a graduate of Dhaka University's Fine Arts Department who also played a leading role in the ADS movement, has been named as the NCC's  spokesperson.

In a written statement coinciding with the launch of the NCC, Samantha said they  have started their work by forming a convening committee.

They said they will initiate discussions with social, cultural and religious leaders, as well as people of various classes and professions who participated in the student-led uprising at all metropolitan, district and upazila levels very soon. 

"By extending this committee to the grassroots, we will consolidate the power of the students' uprising and work towards the reconstruction of Bangladesh," the spokesperson commented.

Notably, the six lead coordinators of the ADS movement were not named in the committee, nor seen at the event.

The seven primary functions were defined for the convening committee. These include upholding the democratic aspirations and collective will which were reflected in the student uprising; taking the necessary programmes to ensure justice and punishment of those involved in the brutal killings of students and masses; and creating scopes for cooperation with the interim government to carry out urgent reforms and restructuring of the State.

The functions also include working through various social, cultural and political initiatives to integrate people from all walks of life through discussion, views-exchanges and mass-contact programmes.  

The committee is bound to continue resisting the fascist structures and forces in society with the aim of upholding the aspirations of the mass revolution by mobilising the social, cultural and religious leadership at all levels. 

It will arrange dialogues with people from different professions and expatriate Bangladeshis in a bid to determine policies that reflect the public interest.

The committee is also mandated to make necessary policy proposals to rebuild the state institutions, and taking necessary political steps to implement the proposals. It will also work to raise public opinion in favour of a new democratic constitution, by forming a constituent assembly through a referendum.

Other members of the National Citizens Committee are - Ariful Islam Adeeb, Saif Mostafiz, Monira Sharmin, Nahida Sarwar Chowdhury, Sarwar Tushar, Mutasim Billah, Ashraf Uddin Mahdi, Alauddin Mohammad, Anik Roy, Javed Rasin, Md. Nizam Uddin, Sabhanaz Rashid Dia, Pranjal Kosta, Moinul Islam Tuhin, Abdullah Al Amin, Huzaifa Ibn Omar, Shrabna Shafiq Dipti, Sayak Chakma, Sanjida Rahman Tuli, Abu Raihan Khan, Mahmuda Alam Mitu, Alik Mri, Sagufta Bushra Mishma, Syed Hassan Imtiaz, Tasnim Zara, Mohammad Miraz Mia, Azhar Uddin Anik, Mesbah Kamal, Ataullah, S. M. Shahriar, Manzoor-al-Matin, Pritam Das, Tajnubha Jabeen, Arpita Shyama Dev, Mazharul Islam Fakir, Saleh Uddin Sifat, Mushfique -us-Saleheen, Tahsin Riaz, Hasan Ali Khan, Abdul Ahad, Faisal Mahmud Shanto, Mashiur Rahman, Atiq Mujahid, Abdullah Al Mamun Faisal, Md. Farhad Alam Bhuiyan, Tanzil Mahmud, S.M. Souza, Md. Arifur Rahman, Kaneta Ya Lam Lam, Syeda Akhtar, Swarna Akhtar, Salman Muhammad Muktadir, Akram Hussain.