At a meeting on Thursday (26 October), representatives from the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement and the Jatiya Nagorik Committee discussed the removal of President Mohammed Shahabuddin, national unity, and a proposed "second republic" with leaders of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), according to Hasnat Abdullah, a key convener of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement.
Speaking to reporters following the discussions, Hasnat Abdullah stated, "We discussed the removal of the president, a second republic, and national unity with the BNP to establish a new political order. The BNP has conveyed that they will review these proposals within their party forum before giving us a definitive stance."
Hasnat also noted that in the past two days, the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement has held meetings with Jamaat-e-Islami and Islami Andolan Bangladesh. "They were receptive to some of our views, with Jamaat-e-Islami expressing that the president has lost the moral qualifications necessary to continue in office," he said.
Announcing upcoming discussions, he added, "Tomorrow (27 October), student leaders are scheduled to meet representatives from several political organisations, including the 12-party alliance, Jatiyatabadi Samamona Jote, Ganatantra Mancha, and Gono Odhikar Parishad, to address these critical issues."
Nasir Uddin Patwari, the convener of the Jatiya Nagorik Committee, emphasised the need for the president's removal but refrained from setting a deadline, stating, "We demand that the president must step down, although we have not imposed a timeframe. There is no alternative to achieving national unity to meet the people's expectations."
Earlier in the day, a seven-member delegation comprising leaders from the student movement and the citizens’ committee attended the meeting at BNP Chairperson’s office in Gulshan, Dhaka. The BNP Secretary General, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, led the discussions on behalf of the party.
The delegation included Anti-Discrimination Student Movement spokesperson Umama Fatema, Chief Organiser Abdul Hannan Masud, Jatiya Nagorik Committee spokesperson Samantha Sharmin, and Akhter Hossain, alongside Hasnat and Nasir. Representing the BNP were Standing Committee member Salahuddin Ahmed and Joint General Secretary Shaheeduddin Chowdhury Anne, as noted by BNP media cell member Shairul Kabir Khan.
