Chhatra
Planning
National Students (chhatra.org)
Nature of the Platform: Not Political, but Constitutional
National Students (chhatra.org) does not define itself as a political organisation. It deliberately positions itself outside the pursuit of political power, elections, party programmes, or competition for state authority.
Its core identity is: Constitutional, Civic, Education-centred.
This positioning is critical, as historically in Bangladesh, student organisations have largely functioned as extensions of political parties. As a result, the independent identity of students has been eroded, and students have been absorbed into partisan cadre structures. National Students consciously separates itself from this historical distortion. The platform operates under Jatiya.org, which itself is a civic and constitutional platform. This institutional umbrella provides National Students with three essential safeguards: A moral foundation for remaining outside partisan politics. Continuity within a civic institutional framework. Leadership that is platform-based rather than personality-based.
Article 7(1) of the Constitution: A Functional, Not Merely Theoretical Foundation
Article 7(1) of the Constitution of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh is not a symbolic declaration; it is a foundational pillar of state sovereignty: All powers in the Republic belong to the people. From the perspectives of law and political theory, this means: No institution, government, or political party is the ultimate owner of the state. The people constitute the constituent power. Governments and institutions exercise only delegated authority. From this standpoint, students are not merely beneficiaries of the state. Rather, they are: Not future citizens, but present constitutional stakeholders. Not objects of policy, but participants in policy formation. National Students seek to re-establish this understanding among students, because for more than five decades they have been told: “You are not yet ready; speak later.”This narrative directly contradicts the spirit of the Constitution.
The Historical Failure of the “Student = Consumer” Model
When the state views students merely as consumers:Education becomes a form of charity. Rights become conditional. Freedom of expression becomes risky. This model has produced three serious consequences:
- Depoliticisation of Citizenship
Students have been detached from their civic identity - Instrumentalisation by Politics
Political parties have used students without representing them - Brain Drain and Moral Exit
Talented individuals have disengaged from the state altogether
National Students proposes an alternative: restoring students as co-owners of the state, not passive recipients.
Why This Is Not a Movement: The Need for Structural Thinking
National Students does not claim to be an “immediate movement”, because movements are typically:Reactive. Time-bound. Leader-dependent.
In contrast, National Students is a long-term, structural civic plan, characterised by: Institutions, not personalities. Policy, not emotion. Reform, not retaliation. Its objective is not to dismantle the state, but to make it function effectively from within.
Short-Term Planning: In-Depth Analysis
Objective Analysis
“To ensure constitutionally grounded awareness, trust, and secure participation of students.” These three elements are fundamental: Awareness — Without knowledge of rights, ownership is meaningless. Trust — No civic structure can survive in a society devoid of trust. Security — Truth cannot be expressed under fear.
Policy Rationale for Key Actions
An independent platform under Jatiya.org
Ensures institutional continuity beyond individuals or political shifts. Civic education grounded in Article 7(1) Teaching constitutional language rather than political slogans. Digital security and privacy protection. In modern states, civic rights include data protection. Anonymous reporting mechanisms. A proven method to dismantle cultures of fear. History- and constitution-based content. A pathway away from rumour-driven politics. Clear distance from party structures. Moral credibility is the platform’s core strength. A Quiet Strategy for State Preservation. National Students are not against the state. National Students stand for the foundations of the state. This is not a slogan, but a constitutional correction mechanism—where students become citizens again, and citizens become owners again.History demonstrates:States do not collapse because of weapons. States collapse when their intellectual capital is destroyed.
Mid-Term Planning
Objective
To transform constitution-based student unity into an effective civic force.
Actions
Present education as a state responsibility and a civic right under Article 7(1). Develop research, data, and policy proposals for mother-tongue-based education. Create a roadmap for Bengali-medium instruction in medicine, engineering, law, and technology. Coordinate with student-driven civic exposure and safety networks. Produce evidence-based national reports on education, abuse, discrimination, and systemic irregularities. Connect students at home and abroad into a constitutional civic network.
Long-Term Planning
Objective
To lay the foundation for sustainable reform in the state and education system within the constitutional framework.
Actions
Establish education as a free constitutional civic service. Advance national-level policy demands for politically independent educational institutions. Develop a merit-based, ethical, and historically conscious generation of citizens led by students. Propose state responsibility and investment frameworks to prevent brain drain. Build durable digital civic infrastructure centred on education, rights, and accountability. Create pathways for constitutional student participation in future state reform and policymaking.
Guiding Principles
Full adherence to the Constitution. Recognition of popular ownership under Article 7(1) Non-violent, peaceful, and lawful action. Political neutrality and non-partisanship. Evidence and documentation, not rumours. Systemic reform, not personal targeting. State preservation, not destruction.
Our Position
National Students are not an alternative to the state. National Students is the practical application of the Constitution. National Students do not seek to seize power.
National Students seeks to restore students’ constitutional ownership. Because: Students are the future of the state. Students are the shield of the state.
Without the Constitution and education, freedom cannot endure.