Political parties reach consensus on drafting ‘July Proclamation’

After various arguments, discussions and consultations, the interim government has started the work of drafting the ‘July Uprising proclamation’.

In a meeting with Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus, the political parties announced their consensus on drafting the declaration and gave systematic suggestions for its formulation.

Emphasizing unity, the chief adviser also announced that the ‘July Proclamation’ would be based on everyone’s opinions. However, as usual, the 14-party partner political parties, including the Awami League and the Jatiya Party, were not invited to the meeting on Thursday (January 16).

Sources said that preliminary discussions were held on the declaration. Everyone was informed about its draft in the meeting.

After the meeting, Jamaat Secretary General Professor Mia Golam Parwar said that everyone agreed on the 'July Proclamation', and that discussions were held on the structural and philosophical aspects of the declaration--how it will be shaped, and what the process will be.

"This is a preliminary discussion. All political parties agree on the 'July Declaration'. However, more emphasis has been placed on a process as if there is a rush, mistakes can happen," he said.

Gonosonghoti Andolon Chief Coordinator Zonayed Saki said that they have called for the formation of a committee consisting of students and political parties to formulate the declaration.

However, BNP has questioned whether there is any need to formulate the declaration five months after the 'July Mass Uprising'. However, if the declaration has to be prepared, then the party's standing committee member Salauddin Ahmed has warned that there should not be any cracks in national unity.

He said: "Maintaining the 'anti-fascist alliance' and transforming this unity into mass unity and moving forward is the big challenge now."

He said that in order to formulate the July Declaration, its political, historical, and legal importance must also be considered. If it is transformed from political to historical document, then it must also be respected.

Salahuddin said: "I have called on the advisors to keep an eye on the fact that our political unity does not crack after the fall of the fascist government."

At the end of the meeting, Legal Advisor Dr. Asif Nazrul commented that further discussions will have to be held with all parties on the 'July Declaration.'

He said: "In this case, some more time can be taken if necessary. However, care must be taken not to waste time unnecessarily."

In his opening speech, Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus said: "August 5 was a symbol of our unity. The entire feeling on that day was a feeling of unity. So if anything is to be done now, it must be done based on everyone's opinions. So that no one can say, you are so-and-so. So I want to make the 'July Declaration' based on everyone's opinions."

The chief adviser also commented that the anti-discrimination student movement was prohibited from issuing a single 'July Declaration', thinking that it might insult the unity in which the 'July Mass Uprising' took place.

The meeting was also attended by the President of Gonoadhikar Parishaf and former VP of DUCSU Nurul Haque Noor, General Secretary of Amar Bangladesh (AB) Party Asaduzzaman Fuad, Convener of the Jatiya Nagorik Committee Muhammad Nasiruddin Patwari and Member Secretary Akhtar Hossain, and Member Secretary of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement Arif Sohel and Chief Organizer Abdul Hannan Masud.

The meeting was attended by three groups led by Khilafat Majlis Secretary General Ahmed Abdul Quader, two groups led by Islamic Movement Joint Secretary General Gazi Ataur Rahman, State Reform Movement Chief Coordinator Hasnat Qayyum, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal-JSD General Secretary Shahid Uddin Mahmud Swapan, Bangladesh Samajtantrik Dal-BASD Marxist Coordinator Masud Rana, and Jatiya Gano Front's Kamruzzaman.