Prime Minister’s Adviser and spokesperson for the Prime Minister’s Office Mahdi Amin has said national unity must be strengthened to prevent the resurgence of fascism.
He said that as the country’s largest political party, the BNP had created the backdrop for the uprising through the sacrifices and struggles of its leaders and activists over more than one and a half decades. Since then, he added, every pro-democracy force had set aside narrow political identities and risen above all divisions, with their only identity being that they stood for Bangladesh.
A new political polarisation of “fascism versus Bangladesh” emerged under the leadership of then BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman, he said.
Mahdi Amin made the remarks in a Facebook post on Wednesday night marking the second anniversary of the July Uprising.
He said that two years after the uprising, an unwanted distance has become visible within that unity. “There may be debates among us, and there may be constructive criticism. However, it is possible to question each other without engaging in indecent behaviour and to express disagreements with wisdom and positivity.”
“By embracing differences of opinion, national unity must be strengthened to ensure that the fugitive fascism cannot return,” he added.
The prime minister’s adviser said the July Uprising of 2024, which took place exactly two years ago, marked the beginning of a remarkable chapter in Bangladesh’s history through the heroic participation of students and citizens that ended more than one and a half decades of fascist rule.
He said the fascist government was forced to flee in the face of a mass public wave, and Bangladesh moved forward on a democratic path. The day, stained by the sacrifices of people from all walks of life, is now observed nationally as the “July Mass Uprising Day”.
“Traditionally, the BNP’s prolonged struggle against fascism created the glorious backdrop for the 2024 mass uprising. In this struggle, the firm leadership and guidance of uncompromising national leader Khaleda Zia provided strength and inspiration to the movement,” he said.
Mahdi Amin said the true strength of the uprising was the spontaneous and united participation of people from all sections of society. Women, as well as students from schools, colleges, madrasas and universities, teachers, lawyers, journalists, farmers and garment workers, took part beyond political, social and professional identities.
He said the uprising was a collective expression of the people’s long-standing grievances, including the suppression of freedom of expression, extrajudicial killings, denial of voting rights and money laundering.
“The government brutally opened fire to suppress this wave of people. Among those killed, the bravery of martyr Abu Sayeed and Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal leader martyr Wasim Akram inspired the nation,” he said.
Mahdi Amin said thousands of people were killed and at least 30,000 injured during the July-August mass uprising. “Maintaining unity among democratic forces is now the demand of the time to build an equitable Bangladesh,” he added.
He said the 2024 uprising belonged to no single individual, as the real heroes were the people of Bangladesh. “Just as the nation will never forget the martyrs of 1971, it will never forget those who sacrificed their lives in 2024.”
He said the BNP, which suffered the most repression during the past 15 years and the July Mass Uprising, is now governing the country.
“Under the leadership of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, the desired prosperous and self-reliant Bangladesh will be built through the 31-point agenda, the election manifesto and constitutional reforms,” he added.
