Md Rashed Khan-File photo

By Al Sadi Bhuiyan

DHAKA, July 17, 2025 (BSS) - Md Rashed Khan, who served as the senior joint convenor of the platform “Bangladesh General Students’ Rights Protection Council,” was a central figure in the 2018 quota reform movement. He also played a crucial role during the renewed quota reform protests in 2024.

Currently, Rashed Khan is serving as the general secretary of Gono Odhikar Parishad, a political party that emerged from the student movement. In 2019, he contested in the Dhaka University Central Students' Union (DUCSU) election for the General Secretary (GS) post. He faced multiple attacks, lawsuits, imprisonment and torture from law enforcement agencies for his active and courageous role in student rights movement.

Born in Jhenaidah Sadar, Rashed completed his BBA from the Department of Banking and Insurance at Dhaka University. However, he could not complete his MBA due to his imprisonment during the movement.

In a recent interview with Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS), Rashed Khan shared his insights and experiences regarding the July Uprising.

BSS: In 2018, govt. issued a gazette abolishing the quota system, but the HC revoked it on June 5, 2024. What was your immediate reaction?
Rashed Khan: The day the court delivered its verdict, we met at our office and decided to hold a press conference to address the issue. We planned to urge the young generation to lead the protest, since we are no longer students ourselves.
Back in 2018, the quota reform movement was led by the Bangladesh General Students’ Rights Protection Council. That later became the Students’ Rights Council and eventually led to the formation of our political party. 
Since it is now a political student organization, it couldn’t directly lead such a movement this time because students tend to be hesitant to join protests led by political student organizations.
In 2018, the Bangladesh General Students’ Rights Protection Council was not politically affiliated, which is why students from Dhaka University and all across the country rallied under its banner. 

The very night of the verdict, a protest march took place at Dhaka University, attended by Hasan Al Mamun, the 2018 movement’s convener. The next morning, some of the 2018 leaders and activists held a protest at Shahbagh under the banner of “Bikubdo Chhatra Janata.” 
On the following day at 3 pm, we held a press briefing. That evening, an impromptu protest march erupted under a non-partisan banner. At that point, we realized the movement was reigniting and that students were eager to join.

BSS: When did this planning begin?
Rashed Khan: From the very start of July. Within four or five days of beginning of the movement, we began a strategic planning. We suggested that Chhatra Dal (BNP’s student wing) should get involved. I asked Akhtar (currently Member Secretary of NCP) several times if other student organizations were getting involved. I also asked whether Islami Chhatra Shibir was involved. Akhtar told me, “Yes, we've spoken to them. They will join.”

BSS: How did you contribute to the movement politically? What kind of response did you get?
Rashed Khan: On July 15, after the attack on female students at Dhaka University, Asif asked us to organize a programme involving civil society. On July 16, we arranged a citizen solidarity event in front of our office.
When the repression began with arrests and attacks, we decided we had to be on the ground. That evening, we heard a student had died. Gono Odhikar Parishad, AB Party and NDM jointly held a protest. As more student deaths were reported, I couldn’t reach Asif anymore. He had given me Ahnaf Saeed Khan’s number instead.
I told Ahnaf to let me know if support was needed. He responded by urging us to stand with them. We did our best.
Around July 23, Ahnaf told me, “We can’t manage the student front anymore.” The streets were emptying out. He suggested bringing political parties to the streets. I asked if this was just his personal view or everyone’s. He replied, “It’s a collective decision.”
I told him, “We can bring the parties, but you must announce a single-point demand.” He said, “That will take some time, but for now, bring everyone to the field.”

BSS: What was your experience of coordinating between students and political parties? How challenging was it?
Rashed Khan: We essentially acted as a bridge between students and political parties. We coordinated. At one point, after the top coordinators were taken into DB custody, the movement nearly came to a halt. I had to change my phone, go underground and move between different locations.
Once the one-point demand was announced, the political parties worked to break the curfew. Up until then, we were in close discussions with BNP and other parties. They prepared for a full-on battle, and the general public’s participation became evident.

BSS: Why did you choose the student movement as the path to topple the regime? 
Rashed Khan: No movement in Bangladesh has succeeded without students be it the anti-autocracy movement of 1990 or the Liberation War of 1971. Students have always led democratic struggles.
Political leaders trust students, and so did we. And the students trusted us too, believing that if they rise, the people would join them.

BSS: Did you consider what would happen if Sheikh Hasina survived this uprising?
Rashed Khan: If fascist Sheikh Hasina would have been able to foil the student-led mass uprising, our lives would have been in grave danger. We engaged in the movement fully aware of these risks. The students had no option to retreat. The situation had become binary… either Hasina would survive or the people would win. Either we would die, or they would.

BSS: Why did people respond to student calls when they ignored political parties for years?
Rashed Khan: This movement didn’t succeed just because of political power. It was everyone’s collective planning, effort and sacrifice. When people saw brutal killing and attack on innocent people in the social media, they were moved by their conscience. 
Even children of police officers turned against their fathers. Professionals and even government officials joined the protests. Some police officers joined in plain clothes. A mass eruption took place. We saw this and felt hopeful believing change was possible.
When someone needed to lead a counter-protest, it was the student wings like Chhatra Dal and Chhatra Odhikar Parishad that led from the front. We did too. Those with political experience used it strategically.

As a result of our united efforts, Sheikh Hasina was ousted on August 5. Everyone believed the people would rise up. Before August 5, we were united. That unity created a hope in our mind for a new Bangladesh.

BSS: How did unarmed students manage to resist such a powerful, well-organized state apparatus?
Rashed Khan: Political parties had been active on the ground for 17 years. This didn’t happen out of nowhere. The movement followed a continuum. The repression under fascist Sheikh  Hasina had built up public rage over time.
By 2024, public discontent grew extensively as people were deprived of their voting rights and lack of freedom of speech. Besides, enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, police oppression of opposition activists and dissidents, state-sponsored looting of public and private banks, extensive corruption and money laundering by people close to the government and high inflation rate also added to it.
When the students were shot for a just demand, the whole movement escalated into a broader pro-democracy movement.  

Political parties were always protesting on streets for the last 17 years. But large-scale movements are often crushed.
That’s why this time the students took the frontline and political forces stayed in the background to support and guide the effort.
To say political parties had no role is simply false. I was arrested and tortured for leading the 2018 movement. In 2024, when it reignited, I returned to the streets again. Everyone contributed from their own position.
We told BNP to use the momentum of this movement. They supported us completely. I thank them. They didn’t let us down. We served as a bridge between the people and political forces. Those who say political parties did nothing for 17 years weren’t on the streets for even 17 days.
This movement was everyone’s. We don’t want to diminish anyone’s contribution.