Nahid Islam (born in 1998) is a Bangladeshi student activist.^[2][3] He has been an adviser of ICT to the interim government of Bangladesh since August 8, 2024.^[4] He was one of the main coordinators of the Anti-discrimination Students Movement, which led the 2024 Bangladesh quota reform movement, which later turned into a non-cooperation movement leading to the overthrow of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s government.^[5] He is currently serving under Chief Adviser, Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus.^[6][7]

Nahid, born in Dhaka in 1998,^[1] is a sociology student at the University of Dhaka. His intermediate life passed in Govt. Science College, Tejgaon. His father works as a teacher, and his mother is a homemaker. He has a younger brother, Nakib, who is also a student at the same university.^[8]

Nahid is a coordinator for a student movement named Anti-discrimination Students Movement which organized protests in support of reforming quotas in government jobs, which evolved into a non-cooperation movement demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her government. He gained national attention in mid-July 2024 when he and several other Dhaka University students were detained by police as protests turned violent.^[9][10]

In the aftermath, on August 5, Hasina resigned and fled the country for India. Nahid stated that their goals were not fully met, and following Hasina’s resignation, the group aimed to "abolish fascist systems forever." He and his group called on Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus to lead an interim government, which he accepted.^[11]

Nahid Islam was sworn in as an adviser for information and communications technology to the interim government under Muhammad Yunus.^[12][13]

Islam was reportedly abducted at midnight on 19 July 2024, from a house in Sabujbagh by at least 25 men^[14][15] in plainclothes. Blindfolded and handcuffed, he was reportedly taken to a room where he was interrogated repeatedly about his involvement in the student movement and then tortured. He was left unconscious and battered under a bridge in Purbachal on 21 July. Later on 26 July, Islam was seized from Gonoshasthaya Nagar Hospital in Dhanmondi by individuals identifying themselves as personnel from various intelligence agencies, including the Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s Detective Branch.^[16][14]

v t e Bangladesh quota reform movement
Concepts Quota System Muktijoddha Organization DUCSU Anti-discrimination Students Movement Personality Abu Sayed Mir Mugdho Nurul Haq Nur Sheikh Hasina Nahid Islam Sarjis Alam Hasnat Abdullah Asif Mahmud Movements 2013 2018 2024
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