Staff Correspondent:

The central committee of the Anti-discrimination Student Movement is in trouble with the conflicting programmes announced by the two groups of their organisation in Sirajganj following the announcement of the 284-member convening committee.

A faction of the Anti-discrimination Student Movement in Sirajganj took a stand to the streets demanding cancellation of the newly announced committee. The central unit cancelled the newly declared committee after the demonstrators blocked the highways and railways. Following that, the other faction declared to block the roads on Tuesday demanding reinstatement of the previously declared committee.

The declaration of the new committee came through a letter published on Facebook on Saturday signed by central convener Hasnat Abdullah and member secretary Arif Sohel approving the formation of the 284-member committee for the next six months in Sirajganj.

After that a faction of the Anti-discrimination Student Movement in Sirajganj started movement alleging that the actual dedicated activists have been excluded from the new committee.

Students say an 11-member coordination committee of Anti-discrimination Student Movement was formed on August 1 last year to lead the movement in the district. Several members of that 11-member committee have been excluded from the newly formed committee. This is why there have been questions regarding the new committee.

Muntasir Hasan, member of that 11-member coordination committee, told that, “Although the declaration came on 8 February, the committee got the central committee approval on 4 August. However, we don’t know anything about this. The central unit had made a commitment that the committee will be finalised through discussions with everybody.”

He said, “A vested quarter formed this farcical committee through opportunistic intruders who are involved in the Awami League’s politics to exclude the real heroes of the July uprising. So we demand the cancellation of the declared committee.”

Meanwhile, convener of the cancelled committee Sajeeb Sarker told reporters that, “The 284-member committee got approval through an intense scrutiny. Those who are excluded from the committee have been accused of various offences including financial irregularities and extortion.

“Only two members of that 11-member committee were omitted from the new committee as the allegations raised against them have been proven. They are now waging a movement with the help of Chhatra League, Chhatra Shibir and Chhatra Dal,” he added.

He said they have heard that the newly formed committee will be reinstated after further verifications.