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Asif Mahtab Utsha (Bangla: আসিফ মাহতাব উৎস, Born January 15, 1992) is a Bangladeshi Islamic philosopher, teacher, and activist. He has taken part in many political protests, while leading and organizing quite a few himself.

His most notable leadership role was during the no vat on education campaign in 2015, where he as an undergraduate student planned and organized the blockade of Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh by contacting and asking each major university in Dhaka to capture and hold a strategically important highway. After two days of blockade, the government of Bangladesh withdraw the proposed bill to add 15% vat on all private university students of Bangladesh.

Asif Mahtab Utsha came to prominence after he tore two pages of grade-7 children's text book in a teachers forum, that was placed in the national curriculum is 2023 in protest of a story that promoted transgenderism. He also urged everyone in Bangladesh to buy the book, tear the two pages, and subsequently return it back to the seller asking him to resell it with half the price. He was fired from from the university he was working for (Brac University) at midnight January 21, 2024, within 24 hours after his call to action became viral on social media. This resulted in nation wide unrest and the entire country tearing those two pages from the book, starting a massive protest against Brac University and National Curriculum and Textbook Board. The aftermath resulted in a legal notice from supreme court lawyer Md Mahmudul Hasan to the Secretary of the Ministry of Education and the Chairman of the National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB) threatening legal action. Subsequently, a 5 member committee of experts was formed by the ministry of education to review the story.

Family

Asif Mahtab Utsha was born on 15 January 1992 in Dhaka, Bangladesh. His father MD. Shahabur Rahman worked in Biman Bangladesh Airlines and was a political activist himself during his student years in the University of Dhaka serving as the president of Bangladesh Chhatra League at the time. His mother Salma Jahan Sharmeen works as a teacher in Aga Khan Academy, a prestigious international English medium school in Bangladesh. He has one younger sister who also graduated from Aga Khan School and later did her bachelors from North South University.

Asif Mahtab Utsha's hometown is in Gopalganj. His paternal grandfather Abdur Salam Mallik worked as an inspector for Bangladesh Police. His maternal great grandfather Ali Azam Bhuyia was a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP).

Early life

Some of Asif Mahtab Utsha's Medals and Trophies.

Asif Mahtab Utsha went to Aga Khan School until grade-9 after which he left school and gave his Ordinary Level and Advance Level exam privately under Edexcel board. During his school years he was known to be restless and hyperactive. His teachers often praised his intelligence but always said he could do much better if he only tried harder.

He was athletic and active. He frequently received medals in school Olympics. In grade-7 he became the general secretary of the Aga Khan School chess club and by grade-8 he was promoted to the president. During this time he organized both interschool and intraschool chess tournaments. Although he received no formal chess training, he won 3rd place in Aga Khan School centenary chess tournament, and received runners up position in the intraschool chess tournament held by his school.

He also trained for Mixed Martial Arts in Deadlock Combat Systems specializing in Muay Thai under his instructor David Abrams, Bangladesh Navy, for two years. This was during and his A-Levels and continued after when he worked as an O-Level Physics teacher for Kids Campus School.

Education

Asif Mahtab Utsha completed his Bachelors of Arts in English from North South University in 2017. He majored in Linguistic graduating with the academic distinction of Cum Laude and was the 4th highest CGPA in his department graduating batch. During his studies, he was awarded 50% merit based scholarship from the University. On February 28, 2015 he won first price at a annual public Speaking Competition hosted by the university.

Career

Asif Mahtab Utsha took a year gap after his O-Levels and worked in different call centers due to financial issues. After his A-Levels he worked as a grade-10 O-Level Physics Teacher in Kids Campus School, Dhaka.

While he was perusing his undergrad He also worked as a researcher and brand ambassador for Don Sumdany Consultancy and Facilitation, a corporate and non-corporate training firm founded by the renowned motivational speaker Golam Sumdany Don. Here he lead the research team and co-authored three pocket books, 'Power of Positive Thinking', 'Communication and Public Speaking', 'CV writing and Interview skills'.

He also worked as a research assistant in North South University, Political Science and Sociology under Dr. Mahbubur Rahman and assisted in his research on election, politics and democracy.

After graduating from North South University he briefly worked as a Corporate Trainer in British American Resource Center before shifting to Kid's Campus School where he worked as a O-Level English Teacher till 2019.

After completing his post-graduation in Philosophy from University of Glasgow, he came back to Bangladesh and joined as an adjunct lecturer of philosopher at Independent University, Bangladesh where he took two courses: Introduction to Philosophy and Philosophy of religion for two years till 2023. During this time he published his masters thesis Integration of Theism into Hobbes’s State of Nature in a Dhaka University journal called Philosophy and Progress on October 19, 2022.

After which he joined BRAC as a part-time lecturer teaching the course 'Ethics and Culture' for a semester and was renewed for second semester before having his contract abruptly canceled by the university after he protested against Transgender stories in national curriculum textbook.

Activism and leadership

Hartal protest North South University

Asif Mahtab Utsha leading the NSU Hartal Protest on February 23, 2015. He is in the far left wearing purple check shirt and blue jeans.

Although Asif Mahtab Utsha participated in a few protests before, his first real leadership role was during his undergraduate at North South University. On Feb 23, 2015 he and his friends from the English department called a protest inside their campus demanding that classes are shifted to online, or courses shifted to reading courses, or shortening the syllabus and having the only in no strikes days as students were in danger and some students by then had already been hurt in their commute during the strikes.

This was during 2015 Bangladeshi Political Crisis where the opposition demanded that the coming election to be held under a neutral caretaker government and called incessant strikes until their demands were met. During this strike there were regular spree of violence towards buses and motor vehicles who did not abide by the strikes. On one hand the government asked to ignore the strikes, on the other hand, opposition demanded that the strikes are respected. This resulted in institutions like schools and officers being open and commuters constantly being insured and some cases burned to death as miscreants hurled molotov cocktails at transports. Asif Mahtab Utsha and his friend's demanded policy changes when a few students of North South University fell victim to these attacks.

The recommended policy changes by Asif Mahtab Utsha was outright rejected by the university authorities in front of a crowd of thousands of people which he and his friends organized. This resulted in a frenzy where the students occupied the admin building and denied that administration from leaving until their demands were met.

A representative of the administration came down to talk to Asif Mahtab Utsha who discussed the issue but said that the school will remain open as per government directive. Asif Mahtab Utsha then asked the administration for security guarantee and financial compensation for every wounded student. The administration representative stated that such guarantee is not possible causing yet another frenzy among the students where upon the representative conceded and declared the university to be closed until further notice.

The aftermath of this protest was that other universities shut down school including, Independent University, and BRAC university. The zeitgeist of the private university students shifted as till this time they were regarded as 'Poultry chickens (Bangla: firmer murgi)' by the public as a derogatory term for their apolitical nature and indifference to national crisis unlike their public university peers. However, after this protest, private university students started taking a more active role in apolitical politics.

No Vat on education movement

Asif Mahtab Utsha giving his speech during the No Vat of Education movement on September 10, 2015. He is in the center holding the hand speaker wearing gray and white check Panjabi.

Asif Mahtab Utsha came to prominence in 2015 when he and his friends blockaded Dhaka for 48 hours by capturing and holding strategically important highways, blocking all commercial activities until their demand for removing 7.5% additional VAT on private University students were met. blockaded Dhaka city for 48 hours by capturing and holding strategically important highways. They achieved this by negotiating with the leaders of all other major universities for a month and asking each to capture a highway closest to them. This blockade resulted in the government conceding and scrapping the bill entirely.

Background

On June 4, 2015 the government of Bangladesh proposed a bill to impose 10% VAT on education in private universities, English Medium Schools, and Medical and Engineering schools. This was met with wide range of criticism from the general public whereupon the government reduced it to 7.5% instead of 10. This was still unacceptable as the students argued that education is a human right and not a product, and that it was discriminatory to have this placed exclusively on private university students who already pay high tuition and not the public university students whose tuition is almost entirely funded by the government. They also argued that many private university students are from poor families who work multiple jobs to pay their tuition and the additional VAT will result in mass drop out adding another class based discrimination. Since then, private university students from different universities held peace rally and human chain in protest against this unjust bill till September 9, 2015 when police open fire on East West University students for protesting against it.

Role

Human chain and peace rally

On August 10, 2015 Asif Mahtab Utsha and his friends from North South University organized a rally inside Bashundhara Residential Area with the aim of blocking the highway at Bashundhara Gate. However, with less numbers then expected, they changed plans and just held a generally rally and a human chain with posters and banners in front of Jamuna Future Park.

Pre-campaign preparation

Asif Mahtab Utsha declaring the start of the No Vat on Education Campaign after police opens fire on the students of East West University on September 9, 2015.

Asif Mahtab Utsha since August 10, contacted the leaders of the other universities who were holding rallies and informed them that to get the expected result it would be wiser to capture and hold strategically important highways near their respective universities and blockading Dhaka by disabling all commerce in Dhaka. He cited Mahatma Gandhi and his non-violent movement in achieving political goals and asked university leaders from all major universities in Dhaka to act according. A consensus was reached and the start of the campaign was set to September 16, 2015. Till then all universities were advised to hold general rallies to desensitize the authorities from such movements so that an element of surprise is preserved on D-day.

Police attack on East West University

On September 9, 2015 East West University was holding a general rally. Police charged and open fired at them wounding over 23 students including some teachers. The students decided to stay and protest till night against this unprovoked attack. Asif Mahtab Utsha and his friends who initially planned to start the campaign on September 16, quickly changed planned and made a video declaring the start of the campaign the next day in protest against the attack on the students of East West University and the bill to impose VAT on education.

1st day of Dhaka siege

Asif Mahtab Utsha leading the students of North South University and Independent University, Bangladesh on September 10, 2015.

On September 10, 2015 Thursday 11:30AM in the morning, students of North South University capture the Pragati Sharani Road in front of Bashundhara gate, being the first to do so signaling the start of the campaign to the other universities. Students of Independent University, Bangladesh joined them soon after. Other Universities like Daffodil University, IUBAT University, BRAC University, American International University, Bangladesh followed suit and captured strategic highways pre-decided by them before with the objective of blockading Dhaka and stopping all commercial activities until their demands are met. Other universities with whom Asif Mahtab Utsha had no formal diplomatic ties with such as Uttara University, BGMEA University of Fashion & Technology (BUFT), Santa Mariam University, and others all joined in the protest and blocking highways near to their respective schools as they saw the ongoing protest.

This blockade continued till sunset when Asif Mahtab Utsha and his friends discussed with the other leaders on phone and decided to not stay at night. Not all universities accepted this directive and many, most notably in Dhanmondi, protestors where brutally attacked by Bangladesh Chhatra League chanting Joy Bangla. There were also reports of protestors in Uttara being forcibly dislodged from the road by police baton charge.

By the end of the first day of protest, the finance minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith declared that VAT on private universities will stay but the students wont have to pay it, but the universities are required to do so. A circular from the government was releasing reaffirming the same thing. This was unacceptable for the students who argued that the nature of value added tax is something that is attached to a product. The student body does not recognize education as a product and understands to give his additional VAT, the respective universities will simply increase tuition fee which if accepted, defeats the purpose of the protest.

Meeting with all university leaders

The following day was a Friday, a Muslim Holiday and thus the blockade was called off. On Saturday, September 12, 2015 Asif Mahtab Utsha and student leaders from all Major Universities met in the food court of Jamuna Future Park hosted by the leaders of North South University, where they decided to call for another blockade on September 13, 2015 Sunday. The leadership of American International University, Bangladesh was excommunicated from the alliance for his radical and extremist view as perceived by his peers. Asif Mahtab Utsha made a Facebook event letting the students know the plan of action for the following day.

2nd day of siege

Asif Mahtab Utsha giving a speech on September 13, 2015 and rallying the students from on top of a wall at North South University Gate-1.

The second day of the Siege, September 13, 2015 went on as the first with the exception that the movement spilled outside of Dhaka at a contagious rate. Students from colleges and universities from all major cities started blocking highways disabling the entire country. The public sector overtly protested by offering '7.5% discount of restaurants' for students. More direct form of protest or voicing their opinion was limited in fear judicial harassment and/or other forms of reprisals.

Aftermath

On 14 September 2015 at a regular cabinet meeting directed by prime minister Sheikh Hasina, the Finance division decided to withdraw the VAT imposed on tuition fees.

On the same day students of American International University, Bangladesh decided to block Banani-Kakoli square with 3 buses filled with Titumir College students attacked the protestors. Its important to note that only the students of AIUB were blocking highway that day and no other universities. This is because they were excommunicated from the alliance and were acting in insolation.

Protest against Bashundhara

Background

Asif Mahtab Utsha and Proctor Sayed Kamrul Islam declaring Bashundhara Group has accepted responsibility and will pay full compensation to the victims.

On March 1, 2017, 10:25 PM some students from North South University went to have dinner in a restaurant near Apollo Hospital. They wanted to park their motorbikes in front of the hospital but Bashundhara Residential Security Area security would not let them, arguing that parking was allowed only till 8:00 PM. The disagreement turned violent and a scuffle took place between them where upon the security guards brutally beat the students to the point that they were hospitalized, most critically Shahriar Hasnat Topu, an eighth semester BBA student from North South University. The security guards also damaged their motorbikes in the process.

Shahriar Hasnat Topu was so badly injured that he was transferred Dhaka Medical College Hospital in the middle of the night. When news of this spread, the students of North South University residing in Bashundhara Residential Area took to the streets and started protesting. Sporadic clashes between the students and the security guards happened all night with some collateral damage of property.

Role

When Asif Mahtab Utsha and his friends got wind of the news at night, they quickly started making preparation of a protest the following day. They made video declaration online arguing that if any student broke any law or policy of the Bashundhara Group then the apprehension of sed student fell upon the law enforcement agencies of Bangladesh. No security guards of any private corporation has the right to brutally beat a student and therefore what was done was injustice. They then called upon all students from all universities in Bashundhara Residential Area to join them in protest the next day in front of North South University gate-8.

The following morning of March 2, Asif Mahtab Utsha and his friends organized a rallied about a 100 student in front of North South University gate-8 where they gave arousing speeches to motivate the students. After their speech, the students formed a rally and started protesting while Asif Mahtab Utsha and his friends went to the proctors office in North South University to barter a peaceful resolution of the conflict with Bashundhara Group.

The peace talks was held in the proctors office of North South University moderated by Dhaka Metropolitan Police between the students of North South University and Bashundhara group. Asif Mahtab Utsha played the role of lead diplomat in these talks as a representative of the student body of North South University. Sayed Kamrul Islam, the Proctor of North South University was present in these talks to legitimize the demands of the student body. A resolution was reached after the talks and Asif Mahtab Utsha wrote a peace agreement where Bashundhara agreed to pay full compensation for all medical expenses of the injured students, compensation of the damaged motorbike and other student properties, and Law enforcement to investigate and apprehend the culprits who attacked the students the night prior. The agreements were signed by all parties and a copy was given to Bashundhara Group, a copy given to Dhaka Metropolitan Police, and a third copy was kept by the office of the Proctor, North South University.

Events parallel to these peace negotiations, outside the students and opportunist public engaged in melee with the security guards and routed them. They then engaged in frenzied destruction of Bashundhara group property including their office, and Baba Rafi, a diner owned by Bashundhara group. Some miscreants then engaged in looting from the damaged infrastructure. They then went and captured Pragati Sharani road in front of Bashundhara Gate. Riot police and paramilitary force Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) was dispatched to control the situation and they quickly dislodged the students and public from road and continued pushing them back inside Bashundhara Residential Area using baton charges and tear shells.

When the police in formed about the situation outside to the proctors office, Proctor Sayed Kamrul Islam along with Asif Mahtab Utsha and his friends went outside to meet with the protestors in order to defuse hostility. Once they linked up with the protestors, they successfully managed to rally them and prevent them from further clashes with the riot police. Once they took control, they escorted the students inside the campus. With students with ID inside the campus, opportunistic public quickly scrambled. Once inside, the proctor and the leaders declared that Bashundhara Group has capitulated and accepted full responsibility for the mishap, and that they offered to pay full compensation for the wounded. Furthermore, they declared that the law enforcement will take the Bashundhara security guards responsible for the attack into custody. This calmed the situation.

Reprisals

The following day, on March 3, 2017, Bashundahra Group began a vicious smear campaign against North South University, Asif Mahtab Utsha and his friends using East West Media Group, a media conglomerate owned by Bashundhara Group. They posted on their paper media such as Kaler Kontho, Bangladesh Pratidin and TV media News24, where they posted false and defamatory news. On one instance hosting a talk show about North South University where they discussed possible links with militants with the institution. This created a huge uproar on social media among the students with enraged students calling for a second round of hostility against Bashundhara Group.

On March 4, Representative of North South University and representative from among the students went for a second round of talks, where North South University threated to press legal charges against Bashundhara Group for its attack on the students if they don't stop the smear campaign. After through discussion a resolution was reached that Bashundhara Group will delete the news from online media and stop posting further negative news against North South University, and it's students if the students no longer hold any further protest or peace rally against Bashundhara Group. No legal action will be taken by either side and the names of Asif Mahtab Utsha and his friends will be cleared.

Aftermath

The next day on March 5, 2017, an announcement was made at 9:30 AM by Professor Atiqul Islam, vice chancellor of North South University where he declared in front of the student that North South University will cover the tuition of the critically injured student Shahriar Hasnat Topu. He further updated the students about the resolution of the meeting with Bashundhara Group and North South University. This was positively received by the student body who all cheered in celebration.

Reform quota movement

Background

Asif Mahtab Utsha's speech during the Reform Quota Movement. Bashundhara Gate, Dhaka.

On March 21, 2018 prime minister Sheikh Hasina declared that the grandchildren of freedom fighters will continue to receive a privilege quota when applying for public service. This on top of the already bloated quota system which in total gave 56% jobs in the public sector to the privilege class in the public sector: 30% to children and grand children of freedom fighters, 10% to women, 10% to under developed districts, 5% to underprivileged communities and 1% to the disabled. Critics argued while giving freedom fighters and their children jobs under a quota system, it doesn't make sense to do so for their grandchildren as giving privilege up to children is sufficient to equalize the disenfranchised. Furthermore, critics argue that the freedom fighter quota itself has been subjected to corruption where a lot of non freedom fighters use fake certificates to get their children and grandchildren public service jobs.

On April 8, 2018 hundreds of protestors from Dhaka University blockaded Shahbag intersection and stated they will keep the intersection blocked until their demands are met. This was met with hostility from Bangladesh Chhatro League and police who dislodged them from the highway with baton charges, water cannon and tear shells.

This event sparked a nationwide protests all across the country firstly from public university students on 9 April 2018, and then among private university students on April 10, 2018 who blockaded roads and highway all across the country demanding a reformation of the quota policy from 56% quota to 10% ripping a page from the VAT movement 3 years earlier.

Role

During this movement, Asif Mahtab Utsha was no longer a student of North South University and decided to not play a more active role in the movement as this was a primarily a student movement. Instead he provided his guidance and leadership to his juniors from the background helping them organizing the protest in front of Bashundhara Gate. He criticized the efficacy of the movement replicating the same strategy from VAT movement 2015 arguing that applying the same strategy twice will lead to disastrous consequences. The opposition would have learned from the first and prepared counter measures accordingly.

Nevertheless, when his junior kept insisting that he visit them a visit in the field, he acquiesced. He came to Bashundhara Gate and gave a speech. This was well received. On the very same day his junior in charge collapsed from exhaustion. He took him to the the nearest Apollo Hospital, and was forced to take command himself with the help of his juniors.

Aftermath

On October 3, 2018 a cabinet declared the dismissal of the quota system for recruitment in the ninth to thirteenth grade jobs. On July 30, 2019, the government said, the quota for the post of 3rd and 4th class jobs is still in force, but if no candidate of the relevant quota is found, it has to be filled from the merit list of the general candidate. In addition to clarifying the previous circular on quotas issued on 20 January 2020, the cabinet also approved a proposal provided by the Ministry of Public Administration to cancel quotas on direct appointments to eighth or higher grade posts in government jobs.

Anti-transgender movement Bangladesh

Background

Asif giving his speech where he tore the story and called everyone to do the same.

Controversy started when the grade-7 social science text book of the national curriculum introduced a story where the main character was encouraged to change from being a biological male to a female mentally. This sparked outrage in the country where Islamic political parties discussed the issue with the education minister who then promised reform. The following year, the exact same story was reintroduced changing the word "transgender" to "Hijra (intersex)". This story was pushed into the book by a LGBTQ organization called Bandhu Social Welfare Society.

Parallel to this events, a bill called 'transgender protection act 2023' was being discussed in the parliament and was on the verge of being passed, a bill in made and pushed by an NGO called Bandhu Social Welfare Society, funded by most notably USAID and others. This bill would effectively criminalize parents who would try to re-educate their children who identified as the opposite gender with a jail of one year and a fine of 50,000 taka.

Role

Public figures like Mohiuddin Roni take part in Asif Mahtab Utsha's call to action and tear the two pages.

When Asif Mahtab Utsha was informed about this, he and his colleagues informed the law enforcements about the conspiracy which would enable the perpetrators to pass bills which violates the existing legal frameworks of the country. He and his colleagues also informed the religious clerics of the country who then started speaking about this issue in their public speeches and on social media. The climax of this story took place on January 20, 2024 in a teachers conference called 'Jatiyo Shikkhok Forum' where Asif Mahtab Utsha was invited to give a speech. In his speech he made an argument about how destructive 'the transgender protection act 2023' really is, and how the lack of understanding of transgenderism in Bangladesh is being capitalized by certain groups to conflate intersex and transgender and pass the bill. He stated that he is concerned about the future of the youth of the country where the children are being brain washed by this ideology. He stated that these groups (Bandhu Social Welfare Society) has already successfully inserted a transgender story in the national National Curriculum grade-7 children's text book. He then tore the book on camera and asked everyone in Bangladesh to do the same in protest to spread awareness on this issue.

Protest all across Bangladesh demanding the removal of the story.

Asif Mahtab Utsha's speech became viral the following day, and at 12:30 AM at night he received a call from BRAC University where they asked him to not come and take classes from the next day. His official email was also closed down by the university without notice. When Asif Mahtab Utsha posted about his termination on his page, there was a nationwide furor about how the termination was unjust. People from all over the country started tearing the two pages of the book and started posting on social media in protest. Rallies and marches started taking place all over the country against the malignant induction of transgenderism in the country by placing it in children's textbook. Almost all religious scholars from various, sometimes opposing schools of though vocally spoke in favor of Asif Mahtab Utsha, some even taking to the street in protest. Students of BRAC University barricaded the main entrance in protest. They demanded the university to clarify its stance on LGBTQ, and whether it supports the promoting of illegal activities in the country. They also demanded that Asif Mahtab Utsha be reinstated.

Students of BRAC University blockade the main gate in protest of firing Asif Mahtab Utsha.

BRAC University initially released a statement that Asif Mahtab Utsha was not terminated by the university but rather he no longer had any contract with BRAC University. However, Asif Mahtab Utsha made a video where he posted evidence of his contract at that it extended for the following semester. He also showed evidence of the work that he was doing for BRAC University in fact working for BRAC University. It is clear that they attempted to delete all evidence of Asif Mahtab Utsha's work by locking him out of his university, however, in the video he posted, he showed that he transferred the evidence of digital contract and implied contract in a different email. BRAC University released a final statement regarding this issue on January 29, 2024 where they clarified that their organization respects the rule of law and does not support of promote homosexuality. They will however not take Asif Mahtab Utsha back as they view his action 'not teacher like' and considers his protest an 'act of vandalism towards public property'.

They will however compensate for the work and time Asif Mahtab Utsha had so far invested in BRAC University.

Aftermath

On January 23, 2024 Supreme Court lawyer Md Mahmudul Hasan sent a legal notice to the secretary of the Ministry of Education and the chairman of the National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB) demanding removal of “Sharifa’s Story” from the seventh-grade history and social science textbook. The legal notice stated that, “Third-gender people are born with some deformities. It is given by the creator. But transgender people do not have such defects, they are mentally disturbed. For example, a male transgender thinks he is a woman, while a female transgender thinks she is a man. It notice also said the chapter is attracting young students towards these “perverted sexual tastes and causing mental health issues among the youth." The legal notice demanded the withdrawal of the book from all places and threatened that a "writ will be filed in High Court as per article 102 of the constitution." It also accused the story for violating section 295, a law that criminalizes intentionally attacking the religious sentiment of people.

On January 25, 2024, the home minister of Bangladesh Asaduzzaman Khan stated that 'the government of Bangladesh has never passed any bill that is contrary to Islam, and will not pass any bill that goes against Islam in a Muslim majority country. Transgender, meaning a biological man claiming to be a woman or vise versa, is something that we will never legalize. What is haram is Islam is something that I think is Haram and the prime minister also thinks is haram (prohibited in Islam). So, no transgender bill will ever be passed in the Parliment, InShaaAllah (God willing)'. With this proclamation the proposed bill was completely scrapped.

On January 23, 2024 Mohibul Hassan Chowdhury Nowfel, the education minister of Bangladesh, alluded to bringing possible changes in the story after being reviewed by experts which would better represent the spirit of story that does not cause controversy and confusion. The very next day on January 24, 2024 Information Officer Mohammad Abul Khair confirmed the committee of 5 experts who will review the story and recommend changes. Another committee was formed led by an additional secretary, has been formed to scrutinize the new curriculum and evaluation system.

On February 4, 2024 opposition WHIP and Jatiya Party Secretary General Mujibul Haque Chunnu urged the education minister to remove two controversial lines from the story "Sharif Theke Sharifa" in the syllabus of class VII raising the issue in Parliament. He made the argument that we are sympatric towards hijra (intersex) people who have physical defects. But transgenderism is an ideology that is imported from the west and is introduced in society to create chaos and 'destroy traditional social values like family and religion'. He urged the education minister to bring a quick resolution to this issue and not make 'a small matter big'.

Other movements

Asif Mahtab Utsha was also involved in few other less remarkable and eventful movements where he either played an advisory role or was leading it himself. A few example of such is his involvement in the dress-code movement against International University of Business Agriculture and Technology where a policy was made that students cannot attend class wearing Panjabi and Burkha. Asif Mahtab Utsha played an advisory role to the student leaders of IUBAT university. He also played a leading role in a protest against a restaurant Lime and Tyme which caused the food poisoning of many students and faculty members of North South University. He ensured that those who had to be hospitalized were compensated for by the restaurant and baring it from the university indefinitely.

Peace rally

Rally for rape victim Tonu

Background

Asif Mahtab Utsha leading Tonu Rally. He is the 2nd person from the right wearing blue shirt.

On March 20, 2016 Sohagi Jahan Tonu, a 19 year old student from Cumilla Victoria Government College was found dead near her house in Comilla Cantonment. She went missing after she went to her private tutors house for studies. After post-mortem investigation found DNA which suggested that she was raped by at least by 3 assailants. This caused a nationwide uproar as the law enforcements supposedly could not find the perpetrators. Critics argued that the law enforcements of Bangladesh can successfully find evidence to incriminate war criminals from 1971 war of independence, yet claimed failure to catch perpetrator inside militarily secured zone like cantonment is suggestive of a coverup. As of 2024, the assailants of Tonu still roam free.

Role

On March 28, 2016 friends of Asif Mahtab Utsha organized a rally raising their voice in demanding justice for Tonu. Asif Mahtab Utsha was invited to join them lead this rally. He and his friends marched on the streets of Bashundhara with students from different universities, primarily from his own alma mater North South University. They voiced their protest against the lack of transparency and efficiency from the law enforcements in being unable to catch the perpetrators.

Rally for Palestine

Background

Asif Mahtab Utsha Leading the Palestine Rally in Bashundhara Residential Area.

On October 7, 2023 Hamas attacks Israel in response to its continued blockade of Gaza strip, attacks on Al Aqsa Mosque, illegally occupying Palestinian territory of west bank, expansion of illegal settlements of west bank, and kidnapping of Palestinians. In response Israel begins its air campaign which cumulates into a ground invasion of Gaza on October 27, 2023. This results in the death of 25000 deaths of women and children, of them 12,300 children as of March 1, 2024. Famine broke out by November 17, 2023 and many started starving to death soon after. Many have called this collective punishment, include UN experts who declared this a genocide, a case officially bought forward by South Africa to the International Court of Justice.

Rally and fund collection

Asif Mahtab Utsha encouraged his students to start a fund collection for the Palestinians. His students successfully did so, collecting funds from all over Dhaka, but primarily from Independent University Bangladesh where Asif Mahtab Utsha was working as an Adjunct Lecturer. The students then sent the fund to Palestine through One Ummah, a UK based charity foundation.

On November 11, 2023 Asif Mahtab Utsha led the students of Independent University Bangladesh and North South University in a march inside Bashundhara at 11:00 PM. He gave a speech where he argued that people's republic of Bangladesh never recognized Israel as a country and claimed that when non-state actors (Isreal) attacks states (Palestine) with genocidal intent, it is considered terrorism and therefore The government of Bangladesh should recognize Israel as a terrorist organization. He further claimed that his students should boycott western morality who historically thrived in genocidal themselves, and contemporarily denies the genocide of Palestinians.

Humanitarian work

Dinajpur flood relief

Asif Mahtab Utsha giving cash donations to Dinajpur flood victims

Late July 2017, one of the worst floods hit north of Bangladesh in recent decades, effecting 20 districts and estimated 600,000 people. The flood was devastating and took the lives of many. International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) estimated that about 1200 people in Bangladesh lost their lives during this flooding. Dinajpur taking the worst of it, losing 27 lives by August 27, 2017. An estimated 524,375 houses are reported to have been partially damaged and 77,272 are believed to have been destroyed by the floods.

Asif Mahtab Utsha on his own initiative started a fund raising campaign and collected funds to help the flood victims of Dinajpur sometime since mid august. On August 29, 2017, he and some of his friends travelled to Dinajpur to distribute the collected funds. He gave cash donation helped repair and rebuilt some damaged houses.

Rohingya refugee relief

Asif Mahtab Utsha Unloading deep tube wells in Kutupalong Refugee Camp

On August 2017, Myanmar began its genocide of Rohingya minorities in Rakhine region. Reports of mass graves, rape, murder and torture being wide spread. A report from Human Rights Watch found that 354 villages were burned down and were either partially or completely destroyed. Over 25,000 people were killed, all most all of whom were Muslims. A mass exodus followed where 725,000 Rohingya refugee fled from Myanmar to neighboring Bangladesh. This sudden influx of refugees created one of the most disastrous humanitarian catastrophes and the largest refugee camp in the world called Kutupalong Refugee Camp in Ukhiya, Cox Bazar.

Asif Mahtab Utsha giving relief to the Rohingya refugees

In the initial phases of the exodus, the international aid could not cover everyone causing 24% malnutrition in the camp. Regular Bangladeshi citizens then took initiative on fund raising and trying to cover the gaps in aid which international organizations missed. Asif Mahtab Utsha, also took initiative organizing a fund raising in both Bangladesh and abroad to help the starving Rohingyas. He organized radio shows for fund raising. A concert on the road was hosted by Mobassher Choudhury, the vocalist from a famous Bangladeshi band called 'Old School' to raise fund for Asif Mahtab Utsha's fund raising campaign. Mobassher Choudhury also talked about this in television shows to aid in Asif Mahtab Utsha's fund raising campaign.

With the funds collected, Asif Mahtab Utsha and some of his friends went to Ukhiya, Cox Bazar to give the donations to the victims. He gave cash donations. Constructed toilets and deep tube wells for fresh water and help built one mosque upon request from the refugees.

Mirpur fire relief

Asif Mahtab Utsha giving cash donations to the victims of Mirpur Fire.

On March 12, 2018 a huge fire broke out in a slum in Mirpur-12, Dhaka affecting over 25,000 people and destroying 8000 shanties. Most of the people living in this slums were already living in abject poverty, and the fire caused by unknown reasons destroyed everything they had making them homeless. There were not enough relief coming to these people. University juniors of wanted to organize a fund raising campaign, and Asif Mahtab Utsha was invited to take a leadership role due to his experience. Under his leadership cash donations were distributed to the victims of Mirpur fire.

Others

Asif Mahtab Utsha regularly participates in charity events including raising money for the winter drive, Iftar, flood and many other humaniterian causes.