My movement is rooted in oneness: Nawshaba

A 2018 nightmare– that often haunts Quazi Nawshaba Ahmed– was to some extent brought to ease on August 5. On the path to creating a discrimination-free nation, Nawshaba believes that the state is now prepared to hear the uncensored story of her journey that completely reformed her into a new person.

On August 4, 2018, Nawshaba was detained by RAB from a shooting spot in Uttara. Under Section 57 of the ICT Act, she was charged with spreading rumours on social media about the student protest for the demand for road safety. It is to be noted that she was not the only one who was charged under that act. Photographer Shahidul Alam, lawyer Imtiaz Mahmood, journalist Kajol, and many other activists were charged under this act for speaking against the former AL-led government.

After being sent to the lockup, Nawshaba was denied bail and granted several days of remands as well. She was released from Kashimpur Central Jail on August 21, 2018, considering her health condition. Her case is still active.

We talk to this forgotten hero, arguably one of the first celebrities to speak out against the former regime.

What instigated you to speak out on this uprising, having been persecuted in 2018?  

The first time I discovered how deeply students were hurt by being called ‘Razakars’ (war criminals), it struck me to the core. It brought back the pain I felt in 2018 when I was constantly branded a traitor, a ‘Razakar’.

It took me nearly a year to recover from the trauma and the relentless self-doubt, haunted by the belief that I had made a costly mistake. However, in that one reaction from the students, I found validation—confirmation that I wasn’t wrong, just as my father had reassured me until his passing.

My 11-year-old daughter, who is aware of the situation, was looking up to me. How could I not be alert to what was happening? Though I wasn’t in the front row during the protests, I still showed up most days, quietly blending into the back, hiding my identity.

Could you please open up about what you went through since August 4, 2018?

I was actively participating in the peaceful protests, because I believed the students’ demands were justified. Even the day before, I joined them on the streets. On August 4, while I was at the shooting location, a few protesters called me with alarming news—students were being brutally attacked. They sent me photos and video clips of the attacks and repeatedly sought my help. In a state of panic, I reached out to a police officer several times to confirm; but when I couldn’t get any clear answer, my anxiety grew, and I thought of asking for help.

I never imagined that my message would mark me as a traitor. I had no idea it would brand me as a war criminal.

My Facebook account was hacked within 13 minutes following the live broadcast and I had no clue what was going on with my account. I was flooded with calls—hundreds, mostly threats. Many urged me to delete the video. My father was the sole voice of support, calling to say, ‘I’m proud of you’. He also foresaw the trouble I might face soon, warning, ‘You will be in danger,’ and asked if I wanted to leave the shooting location. I told him I couldn’t abandon my work until it was done. He respected my decision and waited until I finished. By then, a group of officers in plainclothes arrived and forcibly took me away.

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