‘Many advisers have looked after their own interests or have betrayed the spirit of the mass uprising. When the time comes, we will make their names public,’ says Nahid Islam.
Nahid Islam, convener of National Citizens Party (NCP). File Photo/Collected
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Nahid Islam, convener of National Citizens Party (NCP). File Photo/Collected
National Citizen Party (NCP) Convener Nahid Islam has alleged that many advisers of the interim government have established ties with political parties and are thinking about their “safe exit.”
His statement triggered wide discussion and criticism on social media. The comment, made in an interview with a private television channel yesterday (5 October), has gone viral on Facebook, where pages and users have shared clips and quote cards featuring his statement.
In his interview with Ekattor TV, the former information adviser said the student leaders had not sought government positions but had called for a national government instead.
He claimed that without the involvement of political forces or the revolutionary momentum that had led to the interim government’s formation, it would not have survived even three months.
Nahid went on to say, “It was a mistake to trust some political leaders and advisers. We should have strengthened the student leadership instead.
“We were ultimately betrayed after the trust and confidence we had placed in the civil society and political parties. Many advisers have looked after their own interests or have betrayed the spirit of the mass uprising. When the time comes, we will make their names public.”
Nahid added, “Many advisers have liaised with various political parties and are thinking of their safe exit.”
According to him, this attitude reflects a detachment from the movement’s core forces: the people who took to the streets and made sacrifices for change.
Nahid rose to prominence during the July Uprising, when he, as a coordinator of the Students Against Discrimination movement, announced the one-point demand for the fall of the Awami League government.
Following the uprising, he joined the interim government as an adviser representing the student movement and was assigned to the information ministry. This February, he resigned from the post and took charge as NCP convener.
Meanwhile, other student representatives, Md Mahfuj Alam and Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuyain, continue to serve as advisers.