Nusrat Tabassum

Nusrat Tabassum (March 18, 2001) is a Bangladeshi politician and human rights activist who is a Member of Parliament representing the reserved women's seat for National Citizen Party (NCP). She is also a joint convener of the NCP and chief organizer of the Jatiya Nari Shakti.

A student of political science at Dhaka University, Tabassum gained national prominence as one of the six key coordinators of the Students Against Discrimination during the July Uprising, which led to the resignation of Sheikh Hasina and the fall of the Awami League government. She was among the frontline leaders who mobilized students, particularly women, during the uprising. She was detained by the Detective Branch (DB) of police on 28 July 2024, becoming the only female coordinator taken into custody among the six detained leaders. After being coerced to call off protests while in detention, she was released on 1 August and immediately rejoined the protests.

Early life and education

Tabassum was born around 2000 in Bagoan village, Mathurapur Union, Daulatpur Upazila in Kushtia District, Bangladesh. She grew up in a politically diverse household, with her extended family involved in politics across the ideological spectrum from far-left to far-right. Chhatra Shakti became the organizational backbone for many of the leaders who would later coordinate the July Uprising.

On 30 July, Tabassum joined fellow detainees in beginning a hunger strike at the DB office to protest the unjust arrests and alleged torture of students nationwide. When the National Citizen Party (NCP) was officially launched on 28 February 2025, she was appointed as one of the joint conveners of the party's central committee, serving alongside Monira Sharmin and Samanta Sharmin.

Member of Parliament

In April 2026, ahead of the election for reserved women's seats in the 13th Jatiya Sangsad, Tabassum was nominated by the Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami-led 11 Party Alliance, of which the NCP was a member. The Election Commission initially rejected her nomination for missing the deadline.

On 2 May 2026, the nomination scrutiny was conducted, and Returning Officer Md Moin Uddin Khan declared Tabassum's nomination valid. The Election Commission subsequently confirmed her candidacy for the reserved women's seat election scheduled for 12 May 2026.

Recognition

Front Line Defenders, an international human rights organization, recognized Nusrat Tabassum as a human rights defender and documented her arbitrary detention and torture during the July Uprising. The organization condemned the arbitrary detention and harassment of Tabassum and five other student coordinators, calling it retaliation for their legitimate human rights work.

International media, including The Guardian and CNN, highlighted the role of student leaders like her in what they dubbed the world's first successful "Gen Z revolution". The July Uprising was noted for unprecedented female participation in Bangladeshi politics, with Tabassum being specifically recognized as a key female coordinator who inspired women's participation and served as a human shield during attacks.

Personal life

Tabassum is known by the nickname "Jyoti." She maintains a residence in Dhaka while her family home remains in Bagoan village, Daulatpur, Kushtia District.

Her political consciousness was shaped by significant events in Bangladesh's recent history, including the 2009 BDR Mutiny, the 2013 Shahbag protests, and the 2013 Shapla Square counterprotests by the Hefazat-e-Islam.