July-August uprising: Don’t misuse for political gains: Salahuddin
Staff Reporter :
BNP Standing Committee member Salahuddin Ahmed on Saturday cautioned against exploiting the spirit of the July-August mass uprising for partisan advantage, warning that anyone attempting to do so will inevitably face serious repercussions.
“Those who speak about the spirit of July-August should remember that the Awami League virtually disappeared from public trust after acting as the lone ‘contractor’ of the 1971 Liberation War and using its legacy for political profit,” he said.
Addressing a gathering at the Central Shaheed Minar, Salahuddin said that the student-led uprising of 2024 emerged through a long process of struggle and sacrifice, not merely from 36 days of agitation.
He said the essence of the 2024 July movement belongs to the people of Bangladesh who fought for democratic rights, adding that no individual or group has the authority to form a party and claim exclusive ownership of that spirit. “Those who trade on such values for political gain never meet a favourable end,” he warned.
The event was organised by Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Muktijoddha Dal and Muktijuddher Projonmo.
Salahuddin said Awami League’s politics had always been rooted in falsehood and an absence of democratic culture.
“The Awami League died in Dhaka and was buried in Delhi,” he remarked, claiming the party’s history is one of undermining democracy and establishing fascism, one-party rule, and authoritarian governance.
He said last year’s July-August student uprising removed the Awami “fascist forces” from state power, but added, “Complete uprooting of these fascist and mafia elements is still pending.”
Referring to Sheikh Hasina’s stay in India, the BNP leader said it reflects that the Awami League was never an authentic political force in Bangladesh. He alleged that from across the border, she continues to hatch plots aimed at destabilising the country and threatening its democratic progress. “Awami League was never a democratic party-it was always a mafia-fascist force masked as a political organisation,” he said.
Commenting on the recent death sentence handed down to Sheikh Hasina, Salahuddin stated that the verdict reflects public expectations and meets international judicial standards. “This verdict will be executed… Those who govern Bangladesh in the future must understand that dictatorship and fascism have no place here. Whoever destroys democracy will face similar consequences,” he said.
Addressing Jamaat-e-Islami, Salahuddin said the nation has long yearned to exercise its voting rights freely. “Do not stand against this aspiration. Your past positions in 1971 and 1947 went against the people’s will. If you again oppose the people’s aspirations, they will reject you.”
Salahuddin urged the strengthening of democratic institutions and the establishment of a healthy democratic culture. “Through genuine democratic practice, we must eradicate the legacy of Awami League’s one-party politics. If we fail, the fallen fascist forces may return.”