The Central Committee of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement announced the committees for Chittagong Metropolitan City and Chittagong North and South Districts at around 12 midnight on Monday.
The three committees, signed by Central Committee Convener Hasnat Abdullah and Member Secretary Arif Sohel, were approved for the next six months. There are a total of 754 names in the three committees given on the organization’s verified Facebook page.
After the committee announcement, a section of students in the committee held a press conference at the S Rahman Hall of the Chittagong Press Club on Tuesday afternoon and announced their resignations.
It was claimed at the press conference that at least 50 to 100 members of the three committees had resigned. However, about 30 members of the three committees were present at the press conference.
The students alleged that frontline fighters were not given a chance in the committee. A one-sided committee was given to those who are accused of harassing women and cooperating with juvenile gangs. Traditional and other religious groups were not evaluated. Women comrades have been underestimated. The new committee was addressed by Zobayrul Alam, who is the senior joint convener of Chittagong South District, Chowdhury Siam Elahi, who is the joint convener of the city committee, and organizer Abu Bashir Naeem.
Chowdhury Siam Elahi, who is the joint convener of the city committee, said, “If for some reason this committee is not canceled and instead they are given opportunities, then we will declare Hasnat Abdullah undesirable in Bir Chattala.” Zobayrul Alam, who is the senior joint convener of the south district, said, “There is no opportunity to underestimate any of the locals, the injured, the main agitators, and the women of Chittagong.”
Three demands were raised at the press conference. They are that an interim committee should be formed through discussions with the main agitators; Before forming the committee within the next three days, the investigation report against all the accused persons must be made public, and organizational measures must be taken by disclosing the names and identities of those involved in the formation of committees formed at the choice of the individuals.