In a striking turn of events in Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, a wave of student protests has erupted, targeting a familiar figure in the country’s recent political upheaval. On Tuesday, July 22, 2025, a group of determined students stormed through the gates of the Bangladesh Secretariat, their voices echoing with demands for the resignation of “Education Adviser Mahfuj Alam and Education Secretary Siddique Zobair”. The demonstration, marked by chaos and confrontation, underscores a dramatic shift in the nation’s political landscape, where those who once orchestrated change are now facing the same public scrutiny they helped unleash.

The students gathered outside Gate No. 1 of the Secretariat, their chants ringing out in unison as they expressed their frustration with Alam and Zobair. Their anger spilled over into acts of vandalism, with vehicles damaged and bricks hurled at police officers stationed at the scene. The police, in response, deployed sound grenades and tear gas to disperse the crowd, escalating tensions in an already charged atmosphere. The clash resulted in at least 15 injuries, a stark reminder of the volatility that has come to define Bangladesh’s recent protests.

At the heart of the students’ grievances was the decision to postpone the Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) exams, a move that sparked outrage among the youth. The postponement, seen as a disruption to their academic and professional aspirations, fueled their determination to hold Alam and Zobair accountable. The protesters issued a bold ultimatum, threatening “more intense demonstrations if the Education Adviser and Education Secretary did not step down within 24 hours”, signaling their readiness to escalate their actions if their demands were not met.

In the wake of the unrest, Mahfuj Alam took to Facebook to announce that “Education Secretary Siddique Zobair has been removed from his post”. However, he stopped short of resigning from his own position as Education Adviser, a decision that has only intensified the students’ resolve. This partial concession has done little to quell the growing discontent, as the protesters remain steadfast in their call for Alam’s departure.

This is not the first time Alam has faced such demands. Earlier in May 2025, the Gono Odhikar Parishad, a political group, called for his resignation, accusing him of mocking Islamic scholars and madrassa students. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), a major opposition force, echoed these sentiments, adding to the mounting pressure on Alam. These earlier criticisms now seem to foreshadow the current wave of protests, as Alam finds himself at the center of a storm he once helped create.

The irony of Alam’s situation is not lost on observers. Just months ago, in September 2024, Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, the chief adviser to Bangladesh’s interim government, praised Alam as the mastermind behind the campaign that toppled former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. In a public statement, Yunus described Alam’s role, saying, “He (Mahfuz Alam) denies it repeatedly that ‘it’s not me but many others’. But he’s the brain behind the whole thing…this amazing meticulously designed thing”. He further elaborated, “It (did) not just come up suddenly, it’s very well-designed. You can’t recognise who’s the leader… so you can’t catch one and say it’s over”. These words, meant to celebrate Alam’s strategic brilliance, now cast a shadow over his current predicament.

Alam’s role in orchestrating the student-led movement that forced Hasina to flee to India in August 2024 was pivotal. The protests, initially sparked by discontent over a government job quota system, grew into a nationwide uprising against Hasina’s 15-year rule, which many viewed as increasingly autocratic. Alam’s ability to organize a decentralized, leaderless movement made it difficult for the government to suppress, ultimately leading to Hasina’s dramatic exit. Yet, the same tactics that Alam championed—mobilizing public anger and leveraging the power of the streets—are now being turned against him.

For many in Bangladesh, this moment feels like a full-circle reckoning. “Mahfuz Alam, who once oversaw the fall of Sheikh Hasina, is now witnessing protests seeking his own resignation”. The students, emboldened by their success in ousting a long-standing leader, are now using similar strategies to challenge Alam’s authority. Their actions reflect a broader sentiment among Bangladesh’s youth: a refusal to accept decisions that they perceive as undermining their future.

As the interim government, led by Yunus, navigates this turbulent period, Alam’s position remains precarious. While he has so far avoided stepping down, the mounting pressure from the students and their willingness to escalate their protests suggest that his tenure may be short-lived. “While he has temporarily dodged the bullet, he may eventually have to give in to the demands of the ‘student protestors’ whose undemocratic ways he helped mainstream last year”. The very movement he helped ignite now threatens to consume him, raising questions about the sustainability of leadership in a nation grappling with deep-seated frustrations and a hunger for change.

The protests at the Secretariat are a stark reminder of the power of Bangladesh’s youth, who have shown time and again their ability to reshape the country’s political landscape. As the nation awaits the next chapter in this unfolding drama, the fate of Mahfuj Alam serves as a cautionary tale of how quickly the tides of public opinion can turn, even for those once hailed as heroes.