Student attempt to oust president: Jamaat on board, BNP yet to decide

Two Islamist parties have agreed in principle with student leaders on the demand for the ouster of President Mohammed Shahabuddin, while the BNP says it will announce its decision after discussion at the party forum.

The Islamic parties are the Jamaat-e-Islami and the Islami Andolan Bangladesh.

The Anti-Discrimination Student Movement and the Jatiya Nagorik Committee have been holding talks with the political parties in recent days to reach a consensus on the issue.

As part of the move, they met a three-member BNP delegation, led by Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, at the BNP Chairman’s Gulshan office in the capital yesterday.

BNP Standing Committee Member Salahuddin Ahmed and Joint Secretary General Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Annie were also present at the meeting.

“During the meeting, they heard our arguments and said they would inform us of their decision after discussing the issue in their party forum,” Hasnat Abdullah, founder of the movement, told reporters.

This was the second meeting between the BNP and student leaders in the last three days. The first meeting took place on Thursday.

“We are in discussions with various political parties on our proposed new political framework,” Hasnat said.

“The discussion with the BNP focused on three key points, including how a ‘Second Republic’ could be declared and established; ways to oust President Mohammed Shahabuddin as soon as possible to address the political crisis; and how to maintain national unity while maintaining effective governance.”

Hasnat added that they would also meet today with the Gono Forum, the 12-Party Alliance and the Gono Odhikar Parishad to further discuss these issues.

Earlier on Thursday evening, a delegation from the two student platforms went to the residence of BNP leader Salahuddin, where BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi was also present.

Sources said the student leaders were advocating their demand for the president’s ouster.

The BNP leaders said at that meeting that their party had no sympathy for President Shahabuddin, but had doubts about several factors, including whether there is any vested interest behind the efforts to oust the president, and the aftermath of his resignation .

Earlier, on October 23, three top BNP leaders including Salahuddin met with Chief Advisor Professor Muhammad Yunus and warned of the possible constitutional crisis resulting from the president’s sudden ouster.

The BNP says a vacuum in the presidential position at this time will lead to a constitutional and political crisis, which they do not want.

According to BNP sources, the party is also holding talks with like-minded parties on the issue.

After yesterday’s meeting, Hasnat said they have been sitting with the Jamaat and the Islami Andolan for the past two days, and both sides have clarified their positions after agreeing on the demand to impeach the president.

The meeting with the Jamaat took place on October 25 at its headquarters in Moghbazar, where Jamaat Secretary General Mia Ghulam Parwar, Nayeb-e-Ameer Syed Abdullah Mohammad Taher and Deputy Secretary General Hamidur Rahman Azad were present.

Sources at the meeting told The Daily Star that the Jamaat agreed in principle to the demand to oust President Shahabuddin but stressed that any action must be based on political consensus.

Five movement leaders, including Hasnat, met Islami Andolan Ameer Syed Muhammad Rezaul Karim at Purana Paltan yesterday. Party Presidium Member Ashraf Ali Akon and Senior Secretary General Gazi Ataur Rahman.

In addition to demanding the impeachment of the president, student leaders raised the topic of constitutional reforms.

According to sources, Islami Andolan believes that President Shahabuddin has violated his oath by allegedly falsifying information about the resignation of ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and therefore cannot remain in office.

On rewriting the constitution, the party said it did not want comprehensive constitutional amendments but would rather withdraw the changes made by the Awami League between 2009 and 2024.

The country also pushed for the annulment of three “illegitimate” elections held between 2014 and 2024.

Regarding possible constitutional complications in the event of the president’s removal, the party’s joint secretary general Ataur told The Daily Star: “The sudden departure of the prime minister has not caused a crisis. Moreover, the current president was appointed by the deposed Prime Minister.”