The people of Bangladesh have expressed their desire for ensuring good governance and fair elections, the rule of law and economic and social justice, according to the ‘July Declaration’ unveiled by Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus on Tuesday.
People also expressed their desire to introduce lawfully democratic reforms for all state and constitutional institutions, the 28-point declaration reads.
It mentioned that the people of Bangladesh expressed a strong desire to bring under trial crimes involving all kinds of oppression, violence and looting of state property and also crimes of enforced disappearance and murder, individuals and mass killings, and crimes against humanity perpetrated by the fascist Awami League government during the 16 years long anti-fascist agitation of the people of Bangladesh and during the July Mass Uprising of 2024.
“The people of Bangladesh express their desire to recognise the martyrs of the July Uprising as national heroes and provide necessary legal protection to the students and people participating in the movement,” reads the declaration.
It said the people of Bangladesh expressed their aspirations for establishing a society and a democratic state system that upholds the rule of law and human rights and moral values, and is free from corruption and exploitation.
They also expressed their expectations to protect the rights of the present and the future generations through an environmental friendly, climate resilient, sustainable and inclusive development strategy.
Prof Yunus unveils ‘July Declaration’, says it reflects people’s aspirations
The people of Bangladesh expressed 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.
The document of declaration is written to reflect the aspirations of the people of Bangladesh at the event of the victory in the mass uprising of August 5, 2024.
At the beginning of the July Declaration, it was mentioned that in continuation of the historical struggle against colonialism, the people of this land rose against the deprivation and exploitation inflicted by the authoritarian Pakistani regime, and established the state of Bangladesh through the bloody Liberation War following the Declaration of Independence made on 26 March, 1971 for achieving freedom.
Finalised by the interim government, Prof Yunus started reading it out at 5:21 pm in presence of all political parties.
Top leaders from the major political parties, including BNP, Jamaat and National Citizen Party (NCP), joined the event at the South Plaza of the Jatiya Sangsad.
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, BNP standing committee members Salahuddin Ahmed and Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan, Secretary General of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami is Professor Mia Golam Parwar, NCP Convener Nahid Islam and representatives from other political parties were present.
The programme began with the playing of the national anthem. A video documentary was also screened.