A new student organisation named Bangladesh Gonotantrik Chhatra Sangsad was launched yesterday amid protests by private university students for exclusion despite their role in the July uprising.

Launched at Madhur Canteen of Dhaka University, this organisation, led by former leaders of the Students Against Discrimination (SAD), said it would operate independently based on its own agendas and would refrain from partisan politics.

In a latenight development, private university students, who have long been alleging their exclusion from all post-August 5 platforms and committees, blocked Bangla Motor for an hour till 10:45pm to protest "attacks" on them earlier in the day by supporters of the newly formed organisation.

Demanding immediate dissolution of the committee, they said they would hold demonstrations across private universities today. If their demand is not met, they would go for a "Dhaka Blockade" programme on February 28, the day a new political party is to be launched by members of SAD and the Jatiya Nagorik Committee.

For now, the Gonotantrik Chhatra Sangsad will be led by a  six-member  central committee. There will also be a six-member DU unit.

The launch of the committee was slated for 3:00pm, but private university students showed up at the venue an hour later to protest their exclusion, stating they had been sidelined despite their significant role in the July uprising.

Around 5:15pm, when former SAD coordinator Abu Baker Majumder, now convener of the Bangladesh Gonotantrik Chhatra Sangsad, was announcing the new student body's name and leadership, the private university students surrounded him before he could finish, and a scuffle broke out.

The demonstrators demanded the inclusion of Rifat Rashid, a DU student who was a July Movement coordinator, in the committee. He, however, was already included in the leadership but not in the position he desired.

It is not yet known why private university students fought for a DU student's position while protesting for their own recognition.

Members of the new student body then brought out a procession from Madhur Canteen, but a clash ensued as they reached the Lecture Theatre building. Several private university students were injured.

Some were severely beaten up by members of the new group at Hakim Chattar at around 6:00pm. At least two students had to be taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital.

Tariqul Islam, a student of the University of Information Technology and Sciences, said, "We also played an important role in the uprising alongside public university students. We're protesting here to ensure we are not excluded from the new student organisation."

Abu Baker said, "The organisation will work to fulfil students' expectations based on the spirit of the July uprising. Protests before the committee's announcement seemed driven by other agendas, but discussions will be held to address legitimate concerns."

Chhatra Sangsad

"Education, Unity, Liberation" is the motto of the new student organisation.

The central committee will be as follows: Abu Baker Majumder, convener; Tawhid Mohammad Siam, senior joint convener; Zahid Ahsan, member secretary; Rifat Rashid, senior joint member secretary; Tahmid Al Muddassir Chowdhury, chief organiser; and Ashrefa Khatun spokesperson.

The DU unit will have Abdul Kader as convener; Limon Mahmud Hasan as senior joint convener; Mohir Alam as member secretary; Al Amin Sarker as senior joint member secretary; Hasib Al Islam as chief organiser; and Rafia Rehnuma Hridi as spokesperson.

Abu Baker was also a member secretary of DU's now dissolved Gonotantrik Chhatra Shakti, led by Akhter Hossen and Nahid Islam.

Notably, Hasib, a key coordinator of SAD, was served a show-cause notice for publicly stating that the July uprising would not have been possible without arson and police killings.

On the other hand, Al Amin Sarker, who also played an active role in the uprising, was a former leader of the now banned Chhatra League.

In 2022, it was reported that he was the deputy secretary for scholarships at DU's Shaheed Sergeant Zahurul Haque Hall Chhatra League. However, he resigned from the post during the uprising.