Rangpur anti-discrimination student movement spokesman removed amid extortion allegations
Nahid Hasan Khandakar, the spokesperson for the Rangpur city committee of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, has been relieved of his post following allegations of extortion. The decision was announced in a letter issued by the organisation’s Rangpur city committee at approximately 11:00 pm last Saturday.
The dismissal order, signed by the committee’s convener, Imtiaz Ahmed, and member secretary, Rahmat Ali, cited a violation of organisational discipline. The order will remain in effect until further notice.
Commenting on the matter, Imtiaz Ahmed stated that the decision was made after discussions with local representatives and consultations with the central committee. When asked whether the extortion allegations against Nahid had been proven, he responded, “The central committee is handling this matter. We are receiving various reports. Once a final decision is made, everyone will be informed.”
When contacted regarding his removal, Nahid Hasan declined to comment.
On 28 February, a video surfaced on Facebook, igniting widespread discussion and criticism. In the video, Nahid Hasan Khandakar is allegedly heard negotiating a monetary transaction with an individual.
Following the emergence of this footage, the organisation issued a show-cause notice to Nahid. However, he has consistently denied the allegations, calling them false and motivated by malicious intent.
According to several leaders of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement in Rangpur and multiple local sources, the conversation in the viral video took place on 24 February in the Hajirhat area of Rangpur city. The incident is linked to the illegal extraction of sand under the pretense of developing an eco-park.
In the recorded conversation, Nahid can be heard telling another individual, "Why would you stop your business? Continue with your operations. Speak to my senior. Take your time if necessary. You can see where the matter has escalated—we have to manage the UNO and the DC. If you feel that you need to make some adjustments, discuss it with our senior. I do not want you to face any difficulties. You are aware of what it takes to run an organisation."
On 2 March, during a press conference in Rangpur, a man named Azharul Islam claimed to be the rightful owner of the disputed land, which is at the centre of the controversy regarding the eco-park construction and illegal sand extraction.
He alleged that his brothers, Atiqul Islam and Manjurul Islam—who reside in Canada—had fraudulently acquired the land through a writ petition. Despite an ongoing court case, he accused them of illegally extracting sand from the property using political and administrative influence.
Azharul further stated that, having lost possession of his land, he sought help from the leaders of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement. He dismissed the extortion allegations against the student leaders as misinformation, asserting that they had actually rejected financial incentives and left the scene.
However, the following day, Atiqul Islam Bhuiyan, the claimed owner of the eco-park, held a counter press conference, protesting both Nahid Hasan Khandakar’s alleged extortion and Azharul Islam’s claims. During the conference, Atiqul Islam accused Nahid Hasan Khandakar of demanding an extortion payment of 100,000 taka from the eco-park, along with an additional daily payment of 20,000 taka.