Sarjis Alam

Sarjis Alam
সারজিস আলম
Alam in 2024
Secretary General of the July Shaheed Smrity Foundation
In office 21 October 2024 – 22 January 2025
President	Muhammad Yunus
Chief Executive	Mir Mahbubur Rahman Snigdho
Preceded by	Mir Mahbubur Rahman Snigdho
Personal details
Born	(1998-07-02) 2 July 1998 (age 26) Atwari, Panchagarh, Rangpur Division, Bangladesh
Political party	Jatiya Nagorik Committee
Other political affiliations	Bangladesh Chhatra League (2017–2022)
Spouse	Raita ​ (m. 2025)​
Alma mater	University of Dhaka BAF Shaheen College Dhaka
Occupation	Social activist Human rights activist
Organisation	Anti-discrimination Students Movement

Sarjis Alam (born 2 July 1998)[1] is a Bangladeshi student activist.[2][3][4] He is one of the coordinators of the Anti-discrimination Students Movement,[5][6] which led the Student–People's uprising leading to the overthrow of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s government.[7][8][9]

Early life and education

Sarjis Alam was born on 2 July 1998 in Atwari Upazila, Panchagarh.[1][10] He completed his HSC at BAF Shaheen College in Dhaka, and earned both his BSc and MSc in Zoology from the University of Dhaka.[1][11]

Activism

Sarjis joined the Bangladesh Chhatra League in 2017 upon his admission to the University of Dhaka. In 2019, he was elected to the Dhaka University Central Students' Union from the Chhatra League panel.[12][13][14] He resigned from the organization in 2022 and also participated in various debate competitions during his academic years.[15][16]

In 2024, Alam joined the Anti-discrimination Students Movement as a coordinator, opposing quotas in government jobs, which evolved into mass uprising culminating in the ouster of Hasina administration.[17] He along with Nahid Islam, Asif Mahmud, Hasnat Abdullah and others gained national recognition in mid-July 2024 when he and several other students from the University of Dhaka were detained by the police[18] as the protests became violent.[19][20]

Sarjis addressing the press

In the aftermath, On August 5, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resigned and went on exile.[21] Nahid Islam stated that, their goals weren't fully met and that the group aimed to "abolish fascist systems forever".[22] He and his organisation called Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus to lead an interim government.[23][24]

He also served as the secretary general of the July Shaheed Smrity Foundation, from 21 October 2024, until his resignation on 22 January 2025.[25][26]

Personal life

Sarjis is the son of Aktaruzzaman Saju, a businessman and former member of the Awami League party, and Bakera Begum, a homemaker. His paternal grandfather, Tazir Uddin, was a farmer and businessman. Sarjis has one brother who is pursuing an honors degree at Dhaka College.[27]

On 31 December 2024, he got married.[28][29]

References

1. "সারজিস আলম বক্তৃতা ও বিতর্কে অনন্য". Protidiner Sangbad (in Bengali). 13 August 2024. Archived from the original on 2024-08-13.
2. "Quota movement: Facebook IDs of Sarjis, Hasnat disappeared after giving status". Dhaka Tribune. 1 August 2024.
3. "Protect properties, people lives: Sarjis Alam". bangladeshpost.net. 5 August 2024. Archived from the original on 2024-08-13.
4. "বৈষম্যবিরোধী ছাত্র আন্দোলন: রাজনৈতিক দল গঠনের বিষয়ে যা ভাবছেন সমন্বয়করা" (in Bengali). BBC News বাংলা. 13 August 2024.
5. "Authorities didn't keep their word, movement to continue: Sarjis after release from DB custody". The Business Standard. 2024-08-02. Retrieved 2024-08-09.
6. "Didn't announce withdrawal of movement voluntarily: Six coordinators in joint statement". Prothom Alo. 2024-08-02. Retrieved 2024-08-12.
7. Hasnat, Saif; Walid, Shayeza; Das, Anupreeta (5 August 2024). "Facing Mass Protests, Bangladesh Leader Quits, Setting up Power Struggle". The New York Times.
8. "Authorities didn't keep their words, movement to continue: Sarjis Alam". United News of Bangladesh. 1 August 2024.
9. "One demand now". The Daily Star. 4 August 2024.
10. "সাংবাদিকদের যে বার্তা দিলেন সমন্বয়ক সারজিস". কালবেলা (in Bengali). 1 August 2024.
11. "বাংলাদেশের ছাত্র আন্দোলনের প্রধান মুখ এই ৬ জন, জানুন তাঁদের পরিচয়". Hindustan Times Bangla (in Bengali). 6 August 2024.
12. "ছাত্রলীগের সঙ্গে সম্পৃক্ততা, যা জানালেন সমন্বয়ক সারজিস". Amader Shomoy (in Bengali). 27 July 2024. Retrieved 7 January 2025.
13. "Quota reform movement: Two more coordinators taken to police custody". Prothom Alo. 27 July 2024.
14. Mostafa, Mohammad (13 July 2024). "It's frustrating when a justified movement is made controversial". Prothom Alo.
15. "Dhaka University: Move to oust anti-quota movement leader from hall". Prothom Alo. 2024-07-05. Archived from the original on 2024-08-09. Retrieved 2024-08-09.
16. "কোটা আন্দোলন: নেতৃত্বের কৌশল ও ছাত্ররা সংগঠিত হলো যেভাবে" (in Bengali). BBC Bangla. 2024-07-12. Archived from the original on 2024-08-12. Retrieved 2024-08-09.
17. Mashal, Mujib (5 August 2024). "She Thought Her Grip Was Unbreakable. Bangladeshis Would Prove Otherwise". The New York Times.
18. "3 quota protest organisers 'picked up' from hospital". The Daily Star. 26 July 2024. Archived from the original on 2024-07-26.
19. "Quota protest coordinators Asif, Nahid, Baker 'taken into DB custody for security reasons'". The Business Standard. 26 July 2024.
20. "We're forced to give false statement, say six conveners". The Financial Express. 3 August 2024.
21. Hasnat, Saif; Mashal, Mujib; Bigg, Matthew Mpoke (5 August 2024). "Bangladesh's Leader Resigns and Flees Country After Protests". The New York Times.
22. "One demand now". The Daily Star. 4 August 2024.
23. "Two student coordinators take oath as advisors". Prothom Alo. 9 August 2024.
24. "Bangladesh Crisis: Bangladesh unrest: Know who's who in Muhammad Yunus-led interim government". The Hindu. 9 August 2024.
25. "'জুলাই শহীদ স্মৃতি ফাউন্ডেশনের' নতুন সাধারণ সম্পাদক সারজিস". Prothom Alo (in Bengali). 21 October 2024. Retrieved 7 January 2025.
26. "Sarjis Alam steps down from July Shaheed Smrity Foundation leadership". Dhaka Tribune. 22 January 2025. Retrieved 22 January 2025.
27. "সমন্বয়ক সারজিস আলম পঞ্চগড়ের সন্তান". Barta Bazar (in Bengali). 29 August 2024. Retrieved 7 January 2025.
28. "Sarjis Alam ties the knot". Prothom Alo. 31 January 2025. Retrieved 3 February 2025.
29. "Sarjis Alam ties the knot". Dhaka Tribune. 31 December 2024. Retrieved 3 February 2025.

External links

• Quotations related to Sarjis Alam at Wikiquote
• Media related to Sarjis Alam at Wikimedia Commons