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Students Against Discrimination

Students Against Discrimination is a platform of student activists in Bangladesh formed in 2024 during the nationwide student-led quota reform movement. The group was involved in the resignation of the country's prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, on 5 August 2024 through the July Uprising.

History
The organisation was created on 1 July 2024. On 8 July 2024, it announced a 65-member committee, comprising 23 coordinators and 42 co-coordinators, to make the movement a success after its creation. On 3 August, after the agitation grew in scale, the group formed a 158-member coordination team with students from various educational institutions, of which 49 were coordinators and 109 were co-coordinators. Since its inception, several coordinators have been seen leading the group, including Nahid Islam, Rifat Rashid, Sarjis Alam, Hasnat Abdullah, Asif Mahmud, Abu Baker Majumder, Arif Sohel, Ibrahim Nirob and among others. The protesters under the banner of Students Against Discrimination announced their four-point demands on 1 July 2024, in support of reforms on Bangladesh Civil Service reservation quotas in Bangladesh. From 2 to 6 July, students of various institutions held protests including human chains and highway blockades across the country. On 7 July, the platform called for the "Bangla Blockade", under which students staged demonstrations, marches, civil disobedience and blockades of highways and railways. One of the group's coordinators, Abu Sayed of Begum Rokeya University, Rangpur was shot and killed by the police on 16 July 2024. The anti-discrimination student movement gained momentum when private university students joined on July 16. In response to the escalating quota reform movement, the government mandated the closure of all educational institutions on July 16, 2024. Subsequently, on 17 July, students residing in dormitories at public universities across the nation, including Dhaka University, were compelled to vacate their accommodations. However, due to the permanent residency of a significant portion of private university students in Dhaka, their presence within the city noticeably increased on July 18. Multiple confrontations occurred that day. Students affiliated with BRAC University and East West University clashed with law enforcement in the Rampura area; students from American International University-Bangladesh, North South University, Independent University, Bangladesh, Dhaka International University, and United International University staged demonstrations along Kuril Bishwa Road and Pragati Sarani. Simultaneously, protests were initiated by students from Ahsanullah University of Science and Technology, Bangladesh University of Textiles, and Southeast University in the Mohakhali area, from Northern University in the Uttara region and from International Islamic University Chittagong in Chittagong., 2024 The group spearheaded a nationwide uprising, advocating for political change and successfully prompting the resignation of the Awami League leadership on August 5, 2024. On 8 August 2024, Nahid Islam and Asif Mahmud, two members of the group were appointed as advisers in the Interim government led by Muhammad Yunus. After the Yunus interim government took responsibility of Government of Bangladesh, the group announced a liaison committee to work on the new political arrangement. On the same day, it announced a new coordination team. As of August 2024, members of the organisation were suggesting the formation of a political party within a month. ==Leadership==
Leadership
Central Convener Committee (October 2024 – June 2025) On 22 October 2024, the organisation announced a four-member central convener committee during a press conference at the Shaheed Minar, Dhaka. Hasnat Abdullah was made convener, Arif Sohel member secretary, Abdul Hannan Masud chief organiser, and Umama Fatema the spokesperson of the committee. Central Committee (June 2025 – April 2026) On 25 June 2025, the Central Council formally announced the formation of a new committee. Rashidul Islam Rifat was elected as President, Md. Enamul Hasan as General Secretary, Muinul Islam as Organizing Secretary, and Sinthia Jaheen Ayesha as Spokesperson. On 27 July 2025, President Rifat Rashid announced the suspension of all regional and district-level committees across Bangladesh amid extortion allegations against some coordinators, leaving only the central committee active. Advisory Council (April 2026 – present) On 18 April 2026, the organization announced the dissolution of its central committee and the formation of a new advisory council structure. According to an official statement (Memo No: BEICHHAA/2025-26/), the organization restructured its leadership by abolishing all previous positions and forming a five-member advisory council to guide the platform's activities across approximately 30 educational institutions. The advisory council members are: • Abu Sayeed Liton • Hamza Mahbub • Tarikul Islam (Nero) • Muinul Islam • Shahadat Hosen The statement noted that while approximately 30 educational institutions would be permitted to continue functioning under the Students Against Discrimination banner, all activities should be coordinated and approved by the advisory council. ==Controversy==
Controversy
Many members of the organization have been involved in the unlawful destruction and demolition of private property belonging to several political leaders and party offices, including the Jatiya Party (Ershad)'s offices and the ancestral home of its leader, Rowshan Ershad—carried out without any legal authority or official orders. On 29 May 2025, leaders and activists of the Students Against Discrimination in Rangpur attacked the residence of Jatiya Party (Ershad) Chairman GM Quader and set his motorcycle on fire. Extortion allegations and committee suspensions On 26 July 2025, Gulshan police arrested five individuals, including four leaders associated with Students Against Discrimination, for allegedly attempting to extort Tk 50 lakh (5 million taka) from the family of former Awami League Member of Parliament Shammi Ahmed at her residence in Gulshan, Dhaka. On 27 July 2025, at an emergency press conference in Shahbagh, President Rifat Rashid announced the suspension of all regional and district-level committees across Bangladesh, leaving only the central committee active. Rifat stated: "We are witnessing various crimes being committed under the banner of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement by individuals, both named and unnamed. Many of them, under political protection or having gone astray, are engaging in extortion and corruption, which has become difficult for us to control. Therefore, we are announcing the suspension of all committee activities, except for the central committee." == July Martyrs' Day ==
July Martyrs' Day
Every year on 16 July, "July Martyrs' Day" is observed to commemorate the students who were killed during the movement. On this day, students who sacrificed their lives while protesting against discrimination in the education sector are remembered. The day is observed in honor of their sacrifice. ==See also==
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