National Citizen Party (NCP) Convener and Opposition Chief Whip Md Nahid Islam has said the announced “one-point demand” of the July Uprising has not yet been fully implemented.
He made the remarks at a discussion titled “The People’s One-Point Demand in the Voice of Martyr Families and the Injured”, organised by the NCP at the Institute of Diploma Engineers auditorium in Kakrail, Dhaka, on Monday.
Nahid said, “Two years of the July Uprising have been completed. The one-point demand was announced from the Shaheed Minar. We want to spend this historic day with the martyr families and injured fighters because they are the true architects of the one-point demand.”
He said, “The 3 August declaration included Sheikh Hasina’s resignation and the fall of the fascist system. The one-point demand has been partially achieved, but not fully. Many who supported the movement later opposed it.”
He claimed, “If the one-point demand had been fully implemented, there would have been no politicisation of state institutions, including the police, no extortion, no corruption and no gas and electricity crises. There has been no fundamental change in the country over the past two years. The only change is that Tarique Rahman has returned from London and become prime minister.”
Criticising the BNP, Nahid said, “BNP leaders themselves have admitted that no change has taken place in five months. Again, it is being said that Tarique Rahman is good and the rest are bad. Similar propaganda was seen during Sheikh Hasina’s time as well.”
Criticising the government’s initiatives for martyr families and the injured, he said, “So far, the BNP has taken no initiative for them. Martyr families are the assets of the state. They did not sacrifice their lives to put someone in power; they sacrificed their lives for change.”
Referring to Sheikh Hasina, Nahid Islam said, “If she returns to the country, we will remain on the streets demanding that she be taken directly from the airport to the gallows.”
He added, “We did not carry out the movement to come to power. Ending the fascist system was our goal. Bangladesh will not be allowed to become a haven for autocracy, corruption and extortion again.”
Those present at the meeting included NCP Member Secretary Akhter Hossain, Northern Region Chief Organiser Sarjis Alam, Chief Coordinator Nasiruddin Patwari, National Women’s Power Member Secretary Mahmuda Mitu MP, Chief Organiser Nusrat Tabassum MP, mother of martyr Jabir Rokeya Begum MP, and representatives of martyr families and injured fighters.
