The primary objective of the student-led July mass uprising was to ensure that fascism can never return to the country, said Leader of the Opposition in Parliament Shafiqur Rahman.
He also noted that the history of Bangladesh has been marred by the repeated violation of the people’s right to vote.
Delivering the opening speech during a scheduled discussion on the “July National Charter (Constitutional Reform) Implementation Order, 2025” in Parliament on Tuesday, the Jamaat ameer said aspirations born from the uprising are centred on ending fascistic rule forever.
Shafiqur added that in a democratic state without a monarchy, there is no provision for hereditary or dynastic rule. He said governments should be formed and the country governed through the people’s mandate.
The Jamaat leader noted that even when governments were elected by the people, voting rights were repeatedly curtailed or, in some instances, destroyed.
Criticising the country’s first elected government, he remarked that those who gained opportunity through multi-party democracy eventually killed it to establish the one-party BAKSAL system.
He added that once one-party rule was constitutionally recognised in the 1972 Constitution, the value of the people’s vote ceased to exist.
15-year ‘reign of terror’
The opposition leader further alleged that those who formed the government in 2009 clung to power through “farcical” elections in 2014, 2018, and 2024.
He described the subsequent fifteen-and-a-half years as a period of extreme misrule and “taandav” (havoc) imposed upon the nation.
Highlighting the human cost, he stated that numerous mothers lost their children and many were orphaned. He reported that many individuals were victims of enforced disappearance, with 235 people still missing.
At least 2,662 people were victims of extrajudicial killings during this period, denied even the minimum opportunity for justice. He said all constitutional institutions of the state were destroyed to establish party authority.
Legacy of July Uprising
Regarding the mass uprising, Shafiqur said the “fire” ignited by the youth in July 2024 as a consequence of these misdeeds reached its culmination on 5 August. This, he noted, led to the establishment of “36 July” in the national calendar.
He highlighted that the movement was not limited to any specific group but saw the participation of farmers, workers, labourers, boatmen, and the general masses. Mothers took to the streets with infants, and even a four-year-old child was martyred in the movement.
Explaining the context of the “July National Charter (Constitutional Reform) Implementation Order, 2025,” he said the aspiration created through such immense bloodshed is to prevent the return of fascism.
He envisioned a country built on equity and justice where all citizens enjoy equal rights. Based on these aspirations, the interim government finalised reform proposals following extensive discussions with major political parties, which the president has since issued as an order.
