The Anti-Discrimination Student Movement has called an emergency press conference and released the list of the four main leaders of the private university convening committee.

The press conference was organized at the central office of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement at Bangla Motor at 10 pm on Wednesday (February 19). Rifat Rashid, executive member of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, announced the committee.

The committee was officially announced on the 16th of this month. M.J.H. Manju, a student of European University, is in the combined private university convening committee. He will serve as the convener. Atiq Shahria, a student of North South University, is the member secretary. Omar Faruk, a student of Bangladesh University of Business and Technology, has been made the main organizer and Sabina Yasmin, a student of ULAB University, has been made the spokesperson.

In a written statement at the press conference, Rifat Rashid said, "In the July mass uprising, more than 2,000 students of government, semi-government, private schools, colleges and madrasas, and countless workers and the public lost their lives. Fifty thousand people were injured. The countrymen are aware of the leading role of private universities in this fight to free the country from tyranny. We lost countless classmates, brothers and friends in the bloody July. Their sacrifice has made us pledge to remain uncompromising on the issue of the country and sovereignty.

Rifat said that the combined private universities of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement will recognize Northern University's Shahid Asif as the first martyr and Southeast University as the university of the highest martyr on July 18 at 11:30 am. Naeem Abedin, a member of the central executive committee of the Anti-Discrimination Movement, said, "When the police were attacking RAB public universities everywhere, your Rampura Badda Uttaranchal and private university students in Sylhet and Chattogram." Sheikh Hasina kept the middle class and upper middle class away from politics, now they have learned to speak.

Zahid Ahsan, a central member of the platform, said, "Private universities did not only cooperate with us in July, they have cooperated before as well. The journey of private universities did not start with this movement, they have also cooperated with us politically before. We have found a new political community in the July mass uprising. One of them is the students of private universities. We have to keep these students of private universities in politics. Getting them involved in politics is one of our biggest responsibilities." 

The government has finally removed Professor Ehtesam ul Haque from the post of Director General of the Directorate of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (DSHE) due to his association with the Awami League government and the ongoing agitation by teachers and employees.

He was removed from the post 20 days after his appointment. Muhammad Azad Khan, a professor of the science department of Jamalpur's Ashek Mahmud Government College, has been appointed as the new DG.

On Wednesday (February 19), the Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Department of the Ministry of Education issued a notification appointing Ehtesam ul Haque as the Officer on Special Duty (OSD). It was signed by Deputy Secretary Md. Mahbub Alam. In another order, Azad Khan was appointed as the new Director General.

The notification said that BCS Education Cadre officer Professor Dr. Md. Ehtesam ul Haque was transferred/promoted as the Special Officer-in-Charge of the Ministry of Education on his own salary and salary until he is reappointed.

On January 30, Ehtesam ul Haque, a professor of the chemistry department of Patuakhali Government College, was appointed as the Director General of the Ministry of Education. The matter came to light on February 2. After the news of his appointment became known, there was a storm of criticism.

Education cadre officials also expressed their anger. At one stage, teachers and employees held several protests, rallies and blockades of the education building demanding his removal.

Angered by his appointment, members of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement and Citizens' Committee met with Siddiq Jobayer, Senior Secretary of the Secondary and Higher Education Department of the Ministry of Education, on Sunday (February 2) and demanded the cancellation of their order. Otherwise, they threatened to surround the Ministry of Education and the NAEM on Monday (February 3). During this, they had an argument with the secretary. The secretary, who had come on contract, said excitedly, "If that happens, I will leave."

Muscle-based student politics on universities needs to end, said Md. Nahid Islam, adviser to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

He said this as the chief guest at the closing and award distribution ceremony of the Youth Festival organized by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting at the Press Institute (PIB) premises on Circuit House Road in the capital on Wednesday.

The information adviser said that students should do positive politics for the welfare of the country and develop themselves to lead the country. The young generation that was created through the July mass uprising will influence Bangladesh for at least the next two decades. The direction in which Bangladesh will go in the future will largely depend on the youth. The government or political party that will embrace the aspirations of the youth will be successful.

Nahid Islam said that the interim government is working to involve the youth in various activities. Youth should also spontaneously participate in various creative activities.

He said that action will be taken against those who took away the people's voting rights and worked against the people in the 2014 and 2018 national elections. Besides, those involved in the July massacre will also be brought to justice soon. The advisor said that people want change, want to get out of the previous political system. That is why reform activities are underway. After the mass uprising, various desires were born, and reforms are being taken forward to fulfill those desires. Students must be given opportunities for welfare politics by eliminating the dominance of muscle power in the campuses of educational institutions because they will be the leaders of the future.

He also said that in the last 15-16 years, they have been subjected to various atrocities. There are still allies of fascism and people of their ideology in the society. The fight against them continues. A tribunal will be formed to bring those involved in the July-August massacre, including Sheikh Hasina, to justice. People will get relief if justice is served.

Secretary of the Ministry of Youth and Sports Rezaul Maksud Zahedi spoke as a special guest at the event. In addition, the chairman of the meeting, Secretary of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Mahbuba Farzana spoke. The event was moderated by Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Information Nigar Sultana and Director General of the Press Institute Bangladesh (PIB) Faruk Wasif.

The government has made 33 Deputy Commissioners (DCs) who served as returning officers in the controversial 2018 elections Officers on Special Duty (OSD) from their current posts.

On Wednesday (February 19), the Ministry of Public Administration announced the appointment of these 33 joint secretaries as OSD in six separate notifications. These officers who were made OSD were working in various ministries and departments as joint secretaries.

The notification said that the SPs and unit heads who received BPM-PPM medals after the 11th national elections have also been cancelled. For the same reason, 12 DCs were made OSD earlier.