Students want to form a new party inspired by Erdogan’s party

A new political movement is stirring among the students of Bangladesh.

Inspired by the success of political parties from countries like Turkey, Pakistan, and India, students are working on forming their own political party.

A recent report by Bonik Barta highlights students‍‍` intentions to establish a new political party modeled after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan‍‍`s Justice and Development Party (AKP) and other political parties from three different countries.

This move follows massive protests that aimed to bring down the government of Sheikh Hasina, with students calling for a fresh political change in the country.

Structure and Ideology of the New Party

The students are still deciding on the structure and ideology of their new party.

They plan to hold a survey to find out what the people want and what they hope for in a new political system.

Leaders from the National Citizens Committee and the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, two student organizations, are leading this initiative.

They’ve said that their new party will not follow one person’s ideology but will learn from the successful experiences of these global parties.

The new party is looking at four key political forces: Erdogan‍‍`s AKP, the Justice Party in Turkey, PTI from Pakistan, and India‍‍`s AAP.

They want to study the history and strategies of these parties because they’ve brought change in their countries.

For example, PTI became a popular force in Pakistan very quickly, while AAP managed to attract young and educated voters.

The students want to understand how these parties worked to bring people into politics and create change.

They are also interested in how AKP connected with young, liberal Muslims across Turkey through branding and campaign strategies.

The Future of Existing Student Movements

Even though the students are forming a new political party, the National Citizens Committee and Anti-Discrimination Student Movement won’t be dissolved.

These groups will continue to push for change, separate from the new party.

The student leaders have emphasized that their new party will include everyone, especially marginalized groups, to ensure their voices are heard.

They also made it clear that the party won’t follow the same foreign policies as previous governments.

Ali Ahsan Junaid, joint convener of the National Citizens Committee, said,

"The democratic aspirations of the people of Bangladesh and the fight against fascism are what people expect to see fulfilled through a new political party. We are trying to unite all sections of society. The new political party will not follow a subservient foreign policy. We want to develop an independent foreign policy."

Leadership and Symbolism of the Party

The students have not yet decided on a name for their new party, but they are actively working on a declaration.

They will ask the public for feedback before finalizing it. In the beginning, they may create a founding committee of about 150 to 200 members.

The leadership for the new party is also taking shape.

Nahid Islam is a likely candidate for the position of party chief, although the decision depends on his approval, as he is currently in government.

Akhter Hossain, the current secretary of the National Citizens Committee, is widely expected to become the secretary of the new party, though other candidates are also under consideration.

The party‍‍`s symbol is still being debated, with suggestions including a rickshaw or an hilsa fish.

The final decision will be made based on what the public expects from the new party.

Who Will Join and Women’s Participation

When it comes to membership, the student leaders made it clear that all members will have to follow the party’s rules. Ariful Islam Adib, joint convener of the National Citizens Committee, said,

"We must adhere to the state regulations and the rules of our party. Whether someone is an advisor or a senior official, they must join the party according to the rules. No one can remain a member of the party while holding an advisory position. They must resign from their advisor role before joining."

Women will have a significant role in the new party.

Samantha Sharmin, spokesperson for the National Citizens Committee, stressed that they won’t be putting women into roles based on quotas.

"If we do not see women on the front lines of a political party, it means we are lagging in creating a new political arrangement," she said. "We ensure that a woman has the opportunity to develop her leadership. The percentage or reserved seats system actually undermines women‍‍`s leadership."

Public Involvement in Party Formation

The formation of the new party will include a large public consultation.

The leaders plan to get feedback from 100,000 people through online and offline surveys.

The online survey will include multiple-choice questions and will be distributed via Google Forms.

Nasiruddin Patoari, convener of the National Citizens Committee, said,

"It is necessary for everyone to participate in the political party, something that has not happened in the last 53 years. We will go to the marginalized communities and gather their opinions. We often understand the democratic process as just voting, but we do not want to be limited to just that process. We want to ensure transparency and accountability."

As the plans for the new party continue to develop, the students hope to reshape Bangladesh‍‍`s political landscape and provide a fresh direction for the country’s future.