BNP Standing Committee member Nazrul Islam Khan has asserted that only those who refused to accept Bangladesh’s 1971 liberation now describe the 2024 uprising as a “second independence.”
Speaking at a discussion titled “July Pledge for Establishing Voting Rights” organised by Bangladesh Labor Party at the National Press Club on Sunday, Khan connected Bangladesh’s historic movements – from the Language Movement to the current anti-fascist struggle – while rejecting attempts to equate recent protests with the Liberation War.
Khan traced an unbroken chain of resistance: “We honour Language Movement martyrs because they ignited the first sparks in our collective consciousness – leading us to establish Bangla as the state language. That same spirit drove our Liberation War, the 1990 student uprising against dictatorship, and today’s fight against fascism. These battles weren’t merely about replacing rulers.”
He sharply criticised those glorifying the 2024 student uprising as parallel to 1971: “Some call it a revolution, others a ‘second independence.’ But elevating 2024 to the status of the Liberation War serves only those who never truly accepted 1971’s victory.”
The BNP leader questioned the uprising’s purported demands: “Did the 2024 student protests ever call for a proportional representation (PR) system or an upper house? If these are now being framed as their aspirations, then it’s troubling.”
He also mocked recent political alignments: “Those who once branded each other traitors and infidels are suddenly forging unity. Opportunism won’t redeem this nation.”
Responding to fears that BNP might halt ongoing trials if elected, Khan countered: “How many of your activists were martyred? How many ‘disappeared’? How many faced fabricated cases like ours?” He emphasised honoring all martyrs equally – “whether politicians, students, shopkeepers, or rickshaw pullers”- and warned: “If we fail to fulfill their dreams, future generations will hold us accountable for centuries.”
The event was attended by BNP leaders including Begum Selima Rahman and Labor Party Chairman Mostafizur Rahman Iran.