Bangladesh Nationalist Party Standing Committee Member Salahuddin Ahmed said that no real change would be possible without a transformation in national mindset, urging for both institutional and mental reform to consolidate democracy and equality in post–July uprising era.
“Without reforming our mentality, no amount of legal or constitutional amendment will bring change,” he said at a seminar titled “Education and Employment in Post–July Uprising in the Vision of Youth,” organised by the University Teachers’ Association of Bangladesh at National Press Club.
Salahuddin said the July uprising was not just a protest against discriminatory employment systems but a struggle for the broader transformation of a fascist regime that had long deprived people of equality and justice.
“We must move beyond economic growth and work toward moral and psychological reform. This mental transformation is necessary to establish fairness across education, employment, society, and law,” he said.
He added that genuine institutional reform would be possible only if democratic and constitutional institutions – such as the judiciary, independent Election Commission, Anti-Corruption Commission, a free press, and a neutral caretaker government system – were made strong and functional.
“These are the protective shields of democracy,” he said.
Referring to recent political remarks, Salahuddin said, “A political party has claimed that BNP has accepted the idea of a referendum under public pressure. Even if someone feels satisfied thinking that, we welcome it.”
He clarified that it was the BNP’s proposal for a referendum that was part of the July National Charter’s implementation process.
“After the signing of the July Charter, we said that the full implementation of the charter should be subject to people’s consent, according to Article 7 of the Constitution, the people are the owners of all power. Therefore, a referendum can be arranged on the same day as the national polls to decide whether people agree or disagree with the charter,” he said.
BNP Media Cell convener Moudud Hossain Alamgir said the current education system fails to ensure that graduates are skilled enough for employment.
“We could not ensure the quality of graduates sector-wise, which is why the number of educated unemployed is rising,” he said.
Presiding over the seminar, UTAB President ABM Obaidul Islam cited a Singapore-based study, saying Bangladesh’s educational quality has fallen to a level where their Higher Secondary Certificate is equivalent to a bachelor’s degree.
“If the world holds such a perception of us, it’s a matter of shame,” he said, stressing the need for curriculum reform to improve educational standards.
