Yunus vows constitutional status for 2024 uprising in Bangladesh's ‘July Declaration'
The Declaration, launched on the anniversary of the fall of Hasina government, blamed the Awami League for creating a one-party state in Bangladesh after 1971 and said the party was 'loyal to external forces'.
In a statement sent to The Hindu, the Awami League hit back at the interim government and said the Declaration did not offer anything to the 'protesting job seekers' of Bangladesh.
'Therefore, the people of Bangladesh express their desire that the student-people uprising of 2024 will get proper state and constitutional recognition and that the July declaration will feature in the schedule of the reformed constitution as framed by the government formed through the next national election,' said the Declaration that was launched in an event where representatives of the newly launched National Citizens Party (NCP), the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and the Jamaat-E-Islami (JEI) stood beside Mr. Yunus.
The document started by paying tribute to the Liberation War of 1971 while avoiding any mention of founding figure of Bangladesh Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and blamed his Awami League for creating a one party state named BAKSAL (Bangladesh Krishak Sramik Awami League), that Sheikh Mujib had launched in 1975 before his assassination.
The Declaration made no mention of the Mukti Bahini which played a leading role in launching guerrilla war against Pakistani forces in 1971.
The July Declaration, presented by Mr. Yunus at a public event held on parliament premises of Bangladesh, made several references to the deposed Ms. Hasina, terming her tenure as marked with corruption and decay, and said, '…during the rule of Sheikh Hasina, under her very leadership, an extreme force that was anti-people, autocratic and against human rights turned Bangladesh into a fascist, mafia and failed state and thereby tarnished Bangladesh's international image.'
The document said the democratic change of government was disrupted because of 'domestic and external intrigues' and added, '..the Awami League government, loyal to external forces, applied brutal force to suppress people's rightful protests against foreign tutelage, exploitation and domination.'
In a televised speech later in the evening, Mr. Yunus described the July Declaration as a 'historic document' and said he will write to the Election Commission of Bangladesh to organise election in February 2026, ahead of next Ramzan. 'All of you should pray so that we can progress towards creating a 'New Bangladesh' by conducting a smooth election,' Mr. Yunus said. He also paid tribute to the victims who died in the recent crash of an air force jet in Dhaka's Milestone College and expressed gratitude to Singapore, India and China for helping the survivors of that incident.
In a statement shared with The Hindu, the Awami League described the July Declaration as a 'heinous attempt to erase the history and values' of the Liberation War of Bangladesh. 'It has not offered anything to the protesting job seekers, who were misled into a regime change coup. Bangladesh had one declaration only, and that was our declaration of independence. Nothing will replace that,' said the Awami League in the statement sent to The Hindu.
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From Hasina's trials to Dhaka's tribulations: Yunus marks a turbulent first year in charge
On August 8, 2024, Bangladesh's Nobel Peace Prize winner, Muhammad Yunus, was sworn in as the interim chief adviser of the country. Here's a look at how Yunus led a turbulent Bangladesh in one year read more On August 8, 2024, Bangladesh's Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus was sworn in as the interim chief adviser of the country. With the oath-taking ceremony, Yunus and his interim government inherited a turbulent Bangladesh, whose former Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina, had just fled the country after her government was ousted by violent protests. It has been one year since that day, and Yunus is still struggling to stabilise a country, which continues to remain in a constant state of turbulence. Throughout this year, the Yunus regime attempted to bring reforms and change in all sectors, including the areas of the electoral system, governance, press freedom, economy, judiciary, and improve law and order. 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