Nazifa Jannat

Nazifa Jannat (Bengali: নাজিফা জান্নাত; born c. 1998) is a Bangladeshi student activist and one of the central coordinators of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement (বৈষম্যবিরোধী ছাত্র আন্দোলন) during the 2024 July Revolution (also known as the Students'–People's Uprising). A student of English at East West University in Dhaka, she led protests among private-university students in the Rampura area and played a pivotal role in uniting public and private university participants against the government of Sheikh Hasina. She is the Vice President of the Bangladesh Students' Union and has been vocal on issues of women's political representation, youth expectations from the interim government, and post-uprising democratic reforms. Jannat faced repeated persecution, including imprisonment in 2021, death threats, and police raids during the 2024 uprising. After the fall of the Awami League government on 5 August 2024, she represented private-university students in discussions on forming the interim government and has continued advocating for an inclusive, non-discriminatory Bangladesh.

Early life and education

Nazifa Jannat grew up in a politically conscious family in a small town in Bangladesh. Both her parents are teachers, and her home was filled with books from an early age. Her maternal grandfather and uncle were freedom fighters during the Bangladesh Liberation War, while her father and another uncle supported the war effort. These family stories, along with exposure to events such as the 21 August 2004 grenade attack and the 2012 [...] of Bishwajit Das, shaped her political awareness from childhood. She read works by Samresh Majumdar and books on the Liberation War, which her father discussed with her.

She enrolled at East West University in 2017 to study English. During her college years, she engaged in volunteer work before becoming politically active at university. Influenced by leftist texts and the 2018 quota reform movement, she joined the Bangladesh Chhatra Union, a leftist student organisation, rejecting violent or [...] politics. ..

Early activism and 2021 imprisonment

Jannat's activism began in earnest at university. In February 2021, she participated in a torchlight procession protesting the custodial death of writer Mushtaq Ahmed, who had been arrested for criticising government corruption. She and six others were arrested, severely beaten by police, and charged with attempted [...]. Held at Shahbagh and Dhanmondi police stations, she spent over ten days in jail during the COVID-19 pandemic before release through comrades' efforts ahead of Eid. In prison, she encountered inmates from various backgrounds, including those linked to Awami League financial scandals. The experience reinforced her view of the state apparatus as an "instrument of exploitation" and strengthened her resolve to protect the country. .{{cite web |url=https://countercurrents.org/2026/01/bangladesh-gaza-and-the-dangerous-illusion-of-stabilization/ |title=Bangladesh, Gaza, and the Dangerous Illusion of “Stabilization” |date=14 January 2026 |publisher=Countercurrents |access-date=28 February She faced ongoing cyberbullying, death threats, and online smears from Awami League supporters.

Role in the 2024 July Uprising

Jannat emerged as one of the 49 central coordinators of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement and the primary mobiliser of private-university students in Dhaka's Rampura area. Starting from early July 2024 (with preparations noted from June), she organised road blockades at Rampura Bridge, human chains, and rallies despite police presence. She formed a core group of 8–10 students from East West University, BRAC University, and other institutions, coordinating with groups like the Democratic Student Alliance. By 16 July, over 2,000 students, including schoolchildren, gathered under her leadership.

On 7–9 July, she led processions to Shahbagh and participated in press briefings announcing class boycotts and the "Bangla Blockade". Communication shifted to text messages during the internet shutdown. On the night of 18 July near Rampura Bridge, police opened fire from both sides; Jannat led the procession, directing students verbally without a microphone as tear gas and bullets flew. She witnessed a student shot dead nearby and later described the day as the most terrifying of her life.

Her efforts disproved the stereotype that private-university students avoid politics, fostering unity across institutions. She arranged legal aid for arrested students and defied family pressure (Awami League supporters threatened her father to send her home; she replied, "I am home"). She kept her phone off to avoid tracking.

Post-uprising activities

After Sheikh Hasina fled on 5 August 2024, Jannat rushed to Ganabhaban (the Prime Minister's official residence) and attempted to stop protesters from looting it, using a cycle rickshaw and microphone to make announcements and appealing to army personnel. She expressed frustration, stating it was national property.

As a representative of private universities, she participated in discussions on forming the interim government but noted the chaotic pace prevented detailed input. She has since advocated for women's meaningful political representation, rejecting "token" reserved seats. In August 2025, she stated: "We will not accept the mentality of keeping women as tokens." She has spoken on youth expectations from the new government and called for an inclusive, non-communal Bangladesh.

In October 2025, on International Day of the Girl Child, she urged families and communities to erase the notion that "women are weak" and nurture leadership in all children. She continues campus work on women's rights and has criticised post-revolution political compromises, including the National Citizen Party's alliance with Jamaat-e-Islami, saying the uprising's spirit has been betrayed.

In January 2026, she contributed opinion writing linking Bangladesh's revolution to global issues like Palestine.

Personal life

Jannat has spoken of continued verbal abuse for her outspokenness and the personal toll of activism. She lives in Dhaka and remains committed to student politics.