BNP to Constitutionally Recognize July Uprising If Voted to Power: Salahuddin Ahmed

Melbourne, 16 July— Salahuddin Ahmed, a standing committee member of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), has announced that the party will officially recognize the July student uprising with constitutional and state-level acknowledgment if it comes to power.

Speaking as the chief guest at a discussion event titled “The Turning Point of the Mass Uprising”—organized by the BNP’s student wing, Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal—on Tuesday afternoon, Salahuddin emphasized the importance of honoring those who were martyred during the July movement.

“Those who sacrificed their lives in this movement must be given state and constitutional recognition. Their contributions will be documented in the Fourth Schedule of the Constitution, where their legitimacy will be affirmed. Even the interim government formed under Article 106 will be constitutionally validated within this framework,” he stated.

Addressing the topic of the “July Declaration,” Salahuddin Ahmed said, “We submitted a draft proposal for the July Declaration five months ago. On July 9, the government requested a revised version, which I personally submitted. Our position is clear for anyone seeking clarity on the declaration and its recognition. There should be no confusion. While setting a specific date for implementation is not mandatory, what is necessary is formal recognition and constitutional inclusion—so that no future regime can label the participants of this uprising as illegitimate or unconstitutional. For this, the martyrs and injured of the July movement must be recognized.”

Expressing concern over delays in the declaration’s finalization, he said, “We’ve informed the Reform Commission that the July Declaration must be drafted before August 5. However, given the slow progress, we’re uncertain if they will meet this deadline.”

Highlighting the context of the movement, BNP’s Student Affairs Secretary, Rakibul Islam Bakul, pointed to the events of July last year. “On this day, the fascist Hasina regime’s ‘goon squad’ Chhatra League attacked students at Dhaka University. The protest that followed, from DU and campuses nationwide, marked the turning point in the fall of fascist Hasina,” he said.

“They didn’t die for personal gain,” he added, referring to student martyrs such as Abu Sayeed, Wasim Akram, Mugdho, and Rabbi. “They wanted a society free from inequality. But the country is now in a one-party state. We’ve seen no justice for the killers—only blame games.”

The event was chaired by Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal President Rakibul Islam Rakib and moderated by General Secretary Nasir Uddin Nasir. Representatives from various student and youth organizations also participated, including the Dhaka University Journalists’ Association, DU Debating Society, Bangladesh Student Union, Chhatra Moitri, Chhatra Adhikar Parishad, Chhatra Majlish, Chhatra Front, DU Mime Action Society, and the Hill Students’ Council.