Staff Correspondent

Jatiya Nagorik Committee has emerged on the political scene with an aim to reform the state and abolish the “fascist” system in a “new Bangladesh”.

Nasir Uddin Patwary, a member of the Anti-discrimination Student Movement’s liaison committee, has been made convener of the committee, with Akhter Hossain as the member secretary.

The 55-member committee was declared by Nasir at an event at the Central Shaheed Minar in Dhaka on Sunday.

Akhter is the convener of Gonotantrik Chhatra Shakti. He was the former social services secretary of Dhaka University Central Student Union, or DUCSU.

After unveiling the committee, Nasir said, “We want to reconstruct the state and make policies prioritising the public interest.”

Samanta Sharmin has been made the spokesperson for the committee. She disclosed the organisation's objectives at the event.

In a written statement, she said: “A group is obstructing the state’s reconstruction. We are committed to fulfilling our civic responsibility by organising people, who took to the streets during the student-led uprising, assisting and holding the government formed on Aug 8 accountable and contributing to policymaking in light of public interest.

“We believe the spirit of the uprising and resistance is the power to rebuild Bangladesh. This new political community has to achieve victory through a stable and peaceful political settlement."

Samanta said the committee will hold discussions immediately with social, cultural and religious leaders and people of different classes and professions who participated in the recent uprising at all metropolitan, district and Upazila levels.

"By expanding this committee to the grassroots, we will continue to work towards the reconstruction of Bangladesh by integrating the strength of the revolution," she added.