After a Revolution, a Move Toward Politics as Usual in Bangladesh
Some of the students whose protests kick-started a revolution in Bangladesh last year and prompted the ouster of the country's authoritarian leader, Sheikh Hasina, are now taking a more conventional route to pursue their vision for the country: They have started a political party.
At a rally in Dhaka, the capital, on Friday, some of the former student leaders announced the creation of the National Citizens Party, which they said would pursue a 'centrist' political ideology. Although membership is open to all, the party will target students, thousands of whom joined the 2024 protests but many of whom have since returned to their normal lives.
Leading the new party will be Nahid Islam, a 27-year-old university graduate who helped lead the call for Ms. Hasina's resignation after a 15-year rule during which democratic freedoms eroded amid allegations of corruption and rigged elections.
After Ms. Hasina's ouster, Mr. Islam joined the interim government, led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, which seeks to restore order in Bangladesh and pave the way for free and fair elections. The country has not set a date, but Mr. Yunus has said a vote could happen by December.
This week, Mr. Islam resigned from the government, saying that it was 'now necessary for me to stand with the students and the people to help build a new political force.'
The hope is that taking a political route will allow student voices to be heard as Bangladesh tries to build a robust democracy. An umbrella group called Students Against Discrimination, which represented most of the protesters, will continue as a nonpolitical entity. Students at a news conference held at Dhaka University on Wednesday, where they announced their new political party. Credit... Munir Uz Zaman/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images
Earlier discussions about a student political party had drawn criticism from a rival. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party, which became the country's largest political group after the effective disappearance of Ms. Hasina's Awami League, complained the new party had an unfair advantage since its leader had been part of the interim government.
Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, the BNP leader, said he welcomed the formation of a student party, 'but that does not mean you can stay in the government, enjoy all government benefits, and form your party at the same time.'
Two other student leaders who had joined the interim government, Mahfuj Alam and Asif Mahmud, have said they will remain in their posts and not join the National Citizens Party. Mr. Mahmud recently said that they couldn't be affiliated with any political party since they were helping oversee the democratic transition.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Yahoo
UK crime agency freezes assets of disgraced Sheikh Hasina ally
The UK's National Crime Agency (NCA) has frozen properties in the United Kingdom owned by Saifuzzaman Chowdhury, Bangladesh's former Minister of Land, Al Jazeera's Investigative Unit (I-Unit) can reveal. The move follows legal requests from Bangladesh authorities to take action against assets owned by Chowdhury, a political ally of deposed Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina of the now-banned Awami League party. Chowdhury is under investigation by Bangladesh authorities for money laundering. Last night, in a statement to the I-Unit, an NCA spokesperson confirmed the freezing order: 'We can confirm that the NCA has secured freezing orders against a number of properties as part of an on-going civil investigation.' The property freeze means, in effect, that the assets cannot be sold by Chowdhury. The action by the police agency, often dubbed 'Britain's FBI', coincided with this week's visit to London by Bangladesh's interim leader, Professor Muhammad Yunus. Last year, Al Jazeera revealed Chowdhury, 56, owns more than 350 properties in the UK. While the full extent of the NCA's action is not yet understood, the I-Unit can disclose that Chowdhury's luxury home in St John's Wood, London, is part of the asset freeze. The home, bought for 11 million pounds ($14.8m), was the scene of secret filming by undercover reporters from Al Jazeera's I-Unit. Reporters met Chowdhury during a long-running investigation into wealth that he had accumulated while he was still a government minister. During the meeting, Chowdhury talked expansively to reporters about his global property portfolio and revealed his taste for expensive suits and designer 'baby croc' leather shoes. He described his close ties to the now deposed Sheikh Hasina, telling Al Jazeera's journalists, 'I am like her son, actually.' 'She knows I have a business here,' he also told them. The I-Unit revealed that Chowdhury, from a powerful family in the port city of Chittagong, amassed a property empire despite a $12,000 annual limit as part of the nation's currency laws on the amount a citizen can take out of Bangladesh. The investigation uncovered that Chowdhury spent more than $500m on real estate in London, Dubai, and New York but did not declare his overseas assets on his Bangladesh tax returns. The undercover meeting was part of the Al Jazeera documentary The Minister's Millions, broadcast last October. Chowdhury had been a close ally of deposed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who fled Bangladesh in August 2024 after hundreds were killed as security forces cracked down on student protests. After Hasina's departure, Bangladesh authorities launched an investigation into allegations of widespread corruption in her government. Following the uprising and street violence in Bangladesh, the I-Unit tracked down Chowdhury to his London home, where he could be observed taking leisurely walks around his exclusive neighbourhood, which includes Lord's Cricket Ground. In earlier statements to Al Jazeera, Chowdhury said the funds used to buy his overseas properties came from legitimate businesses outside Bangladesh, which he had owned for years. The former minister claimed he was the subject of a politically motivated 'witch-hunt' against him.
Miami Herald
7 hours ago
- Miami Herald
Syria's Islamist Swimwear Ban Faces Backlash
The Syrian government, at a time it is struggling for Western and international recognition, has drawn criticism for imposing a beach dress code in line with conservative Islam and raising questions over its pledged commitment to inclusiveness. Since Ahmed al-Sharaa—a former al-Qaeda affiliate and later head of a jihadist group—rose to power, he rebranded himself as a pragmatic nationalist as the country looks to rebuild after nearly a decade of political and sectarian war under the regime of former President Bashar al-Assad. U.S. President Donald Trump has recently lifted sanctions on the country to boost its reconstruction and met with the new leader. Signs that Syria is taking a more Islamist direction raise warning signs for liberal and more secular Syrians and for Western countries that are seeking to assist. Under new "safety and security" regulations, the Syrian Tourism Ministry now requires visitors to public beaches and hotels to cover up. Women are expected to wear a burkini or clothing that covers the body more extensively, and to wear loose cover ups over their swimwear when moving around beach premises. Syrians have taken to social media to criticize and mock the new rules, arguing that they contradict inclusiveness and personal freedoms, discourage international tourism, and fail to address the country's real priorities. "Women forced to wear burkinis in swimming pools and beaches... Syria under the rule of Al Qaeda," the Arab Feminist Movement, a digital platform defending women rights, wrote on X. Men are required to cover up with shirts when not swimming. "Being bare-chested outside the designated swimming area is not permitted," the ministry said in an announcement on its Facebook page. Regular swimsuits, described by the ministry as "Western", are allowed in hotels and resorts rated at the international 4-star level or above. The ministry did not specify penalties for violators. "Those with money can undress," a Facebook user named Tihan Ibrahim commented in Arabic. Others have supported the government's decision, however. "Whoever wants to go out with their family without clothes should go to private resorts. Public beaches have people from all social groups, and the majority of the Syrian population rejects such disgusting sights," a Facebook user by the name Abdurrahman wrote. Modest dress codes are common across many Arab countries, though their enforcement varies widely depending on local customs, religious interpretations, and government policies. While Syria's population is majority Sunni Muslim it includes various minority groups such as Alawites (a Shia sect), Christians, Druze among others—who have voiced concerns of repression under the new regime. Syria's delicate balance is at constant risk of destabilization, potentially fueling further tensions and violence. Ghayath Al-Farah, Syria's Deputy Tourism Minister, said in an interview with Zaman al‑Wasl TV, translated from Arabic: "Burkinis or Sharia-compliant clothes are accepted in public swimming places and men are prohibited from wearing shorts on other premises such as hotel lobbies because that violates public decency." Facebook user Safwan Mohyeddein wrote: "It would have been better not to address dress code at all and instead only refer to adherence to public decency. Problems arising from this issue, and their amplification in the media, will deter many tourists—and even locals—from coming to Syria, ultimately destroying the tourism industry that should feed millions." Syria's government is facing challenges as it turns to U.S. and Gulf support to revive its economy. Related Articles Dangerous Ocean Conditions Warning Issued for Five StatesHow to Watch USA Swimming National Championships: Live Stream, Ledecky, Walsh, Smith, Douglass, TV ChannelMap Shows 4 States With Water Warnings as Hypothermia Can Strike in MinutesPeople Told to Stay Out of Lake Michigan Amid 'Life-Threatening' Conditions 2025 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.
Newsweek
10 hours ago
- Newsweek
Syria's Islamist Swimwear Ban Faces Backlash
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The Syrian government, at a time it is struggling for Western and international recognition, has drawn criticism for imposing a beach dress code in line with conservative Islam and raising questions over its pledged commitment to inclusiveness. Why It Matters Since Ahmed al-Sharaa—a former al-Qaeda affiliate and later head of a jihadist group—rose to power, he rebranded himself as a pragmatic nationalist as the country looks to rebuild after nearly a decade of political and sectarian war under the regime of former President Bashar al-Assad. U.S. President Donald Trump has recently lifted sanctions on the country to boost its reconstruction and met with the new leader. Signs that Syria is taking a more Islamist direction raise warning signs for liberal and more secular Syrians and for Western countries that are seeking to assist. Women enjoy an afternoon in a park above the city of Homs on January 20, 2025 in Homs. Women enjoy an afternoon in a park above the city of Homs on January 20, 2025 in To Know Under new "safety and security" regulations, the Syrian Tourism Ministry now requires visitors to public beaches and hotels to cover up. Women are expected to wear a burkini or clothing that covers the body more extensively, and to wear loose cover ups over their swimwear when moving around beach premises. Syrians have taken to social media to criticize and mock the new rules, arguing that they contradict inclusiveness and personal freedoms, discourage international tourism, and fail to address the country's real priorities. "Women forced to wear burkinis in swimming pools and beaches... Syria under the rule of Al Qaeda," the Arab Feminist Movement, a digital platform defending women rights, wrote on X. Men are required to cover up with shirts when not swimming. "Being bare-chested outside the designated swimming area is not permitted," the ministry said in an announcement on its Facebook page. Regular swimsuits, described by the ministry as "Western", are allowed in hotels and resorts rated at the international 4-star level or above. The ministry did not specify penalties for violators. "Those with money can undress," a Facebook user named Tihan Ibrahim commented in Arabic. Others have supported the government's decision, however. "Whoever wants to go out with their family without clothes should go to private resorts. Public beaches have people from all social groups, and the majority of the Syrian population rejects such disgusting sights," a Facebook user by the name Abdurrahman wrote. Modest dress codes are common across many Arab countries, though their enforcement varies widely depending on local customs, religious interpretations, and government policies. While Syria's population is majority Sunni Muslim it includes various minority groups such as Alawites (a Shia sect), Christians, Druze among others—who have voiced concerns of repression under the new regime. Syria's delicate balance is at constant risk of destabilization, potentially fueling further tensions and violence. What People Are Saying Ghayath Al-Farah, Syria's Deputy Tourism Minister, said in an interview with Zaman al‑Wasl TV, translated from Arabic: "Burkinis or Sharia-compliant clothes are accepted in public swimming places and men are prohibited from wearing shorts on other premises such as hotel lobbies because that violates public decency." Facebook user Safwan Mohyeddein wrote: "It would have been better not to address dress code at all and instead only refer to adherence to public decency. Problems arising from this issue, and their amplification in the media, will deter many tourists—and even locals—from coming to Syria, ultimately destroying the tourism industry that should feed millions." What Happens Next Syria's government is facing challenges as it turns to U.S. and Gulf support to revive its economy.
