As part of their initial political efforts, members of Students Against Discrimination held talks with Nobel laureate Dr Muhammad Yunus on August 4, 2024 - offering him the role of head of a proposed ‘new government,’ to replace the crumbling Awami League regime.
That is according to the testimony of Nahid Islam, one of the central coordinators of the movement, who was testifying for a second day before the International Crimes Tribunal-1 on Thursday.
Nahid, who went on to serve in the eventual government that followed the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s administration before leaving to lead the newly-formed National Citizen Party (NCP), disclosed this while testifying in a case against deposed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and others, who are accused of crimes against humanity committed during the uprising last year.
According to Nahid’s testimony, the students’ anti-government movement started gaining renewed momentum in early August.
“After consultations with our coordinators and other anti-fascist student groups including Chhatra Dal, Chhatra Shibir, and leaders from several left-leaning student organisations, we declared our one-point demand for the fall of the fascist regime and establishment of a new political order,” he said.
That declaration was made at the Central Shaheed Minar on August 3, followed by a sit-in and protest programme at Shahbagh on August 4. During the protest, the group announced a ‘March to Dhaka’ programme, initially set for August 6.
However, learning that the government had planned a major crackdown—including an intensified curfew, another internet and mobile network shutdown, and alleged plans for mass arrests and disappearances—the organisers moved forward the march to August 5, Nahid testified.
He said Mahfuj Alam, currently serving the interim government as an adviser, acted as liaison with other student organisations and civil society leaders to build broader support for the movement.
"As part of our initial preparation, we approached Dr Yunus Sir to lead the new government. We proposed that he take responsibility as its head,” Nahid added.
Nahid also described alleged enforced disappearances and torture carried out by law enforcement agencies, including the Detective Branch (DB) and the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI), during the protest movement.
His statement covered events from July 19 to August 5, 2024.
Earlier on Wednesday, he had given a partial statement detailing events dating back to 2018, and up to July 19, 2024.