Students protest against JP declaring Sarjis, Hasnat as ‘persona non grata’ in Rangpur

Students in Rangpur staged a protest rally and demonstration early today in response to the Jatiya Party’s declaration of Sarjis Alam and Hasnat Abdullah, coordinators of the student movement, as “persona non grata” in the city.
Earlier this week, Sarjis and Hasnat publicly expressed their dissatisfaction over the ongoing political dialogue between the Jatiya Party and the interim government led by Chief Advisor Prof Muhammad Yunus.
They criticised the Jatiya Party, labelling it a collaborator of the authoritarian Awami regime and describing the party as spineless fascist stooges. They opposed the decision to invite the Jatiya Party to the political dialogue.
In response, former mayor of Rangpur City Corporation and Jatiya Party Co-Chairman Mostafizar Rahman Mostafa declared in a party meeting last evening that Sarjis and Hasnat would not be allowed to enter Rangpur.
Protesting the declaration, a demonstration began today in front of the Medical Mor in Rangpur around 3:00am, reports our local correspondent.
The demonstrators marched through key points, including Shaheed Mukhtar Elahi Square and Checkpost, before returning to Medical Mor.
Throughout the march, protesters chanted slogans like, “Beware, accomplices of the dictatorship,” “No place for traitors in Rangpur,” and “The people of Rangpur will not tolerate the insult of Sarjis and Hasnat.”
Following the march, a brief rally was held where speakers included Imran Ahmed, a representative of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement in Rangpur, Dr Jamil Ahmed, Imtiaz Imti, and Motawakil Billah, among others.
The speakers demanded an immediate apology from the Jatiya Party and the withdrawal of their controversial statement.
They warned that if these demands are not met, students and the public would unite to resist the Jatiya Party.
“The struggle for liberation of students and the masses is rooted in the uprising,” the speakers said, referring to the 2024 movement.
“This movement is a platform for everyone’s freedom, born out of immense sacrifice and loss of life. Sarjis Alam and Hasnat Abdullah are the heroes of this revolution. The Jatiya Party has no authority to declare them ‘persona non grata’.”