On fifth founding anniversary, Nurul Haque Nur says Gono Odhikar Parishad will show the nation the way in any crisis

Nurul Haque Nur, president of Gono Odhikar Parishad and state minister for expatriates' welfare and overseas employment, has said his party will show the nation the way in any crisis in the future, as it has in the past. He made the remark at the party's fifth founding anniversary programme on Monday (26 October).

To mark the anniversary, the day was celebrated on Monday morning in front of the party's central office at Al-Razi Complex in the capital, with the hoisting of the national and party flags and the cutting of a cake. Nurul Haque Nur gave a brief speech at the event.

He said: 'The leaders of Gono Odhikar Parishad did not reach today's political position suddenly or by some Aladdin's lamp. Their position was built through street movements and struggles, sacrifice, repression and blood.'

Nur said the party's political journey began through the 2018 quota reform movement. In his words, the aspiration for state reform grew out of that movement for quota reform, and the party's leaders and activists played a leading role in every movement, including the July 2024 mass uprising.

Speaking about the post-July political situation, he said attempts had been made to sideline Gono Odhikar Parishad, but those attempts would never succeed. In his speech he also said the struggles of the past were not fought to watch the swagger of anti-liberation forces, and he accused one party of obstructing the digging of a freedom fighter's grave. In his view, such acts are done to hide their own anti-liberation label, and these clandestine organisations do not want the country's progress.

The programme was conducted by the party's higher council member and media cell convener, agriculturist Shahidul Islam Fahim. Others who spoke included senior vice-president Faruk Hasan, spokesperson Abu Hanif, Dhaka city north president Abdur Rahim, former Dhaka city south senior joint general secretary Sohel Rana, Jubo Odhikar Parishad president Nadim Hasan, Ainajibi Odhikar Parishad president Advocate Sarkar Nure Ershad Siddiqui, Peshajibi Odhikar Parishad president Advocate Khalid Hasan and Chhatra Odhikar Parishad general secretary Sanaullah Haque.

Gono Odhikar Parishad formally began its journey on 26 October 2021. The party was founded on the initiative of the young people who had led the 2018 quota reform movement.