Opposition Leader in the Parliament and Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr. Shafiqur Rahman has said there was no single mastermind behind the July Uprising, insisting that the movement was driven collectively by the people of Bangladesh.
Speaking on a point of order during the general discussion on the national budget in Parliament on Sunday, Dr. Shafiqur said, "We do not believe there was any single mastermind behind the July movement. The real credit belongs to Bangladesh's youth, while the true mastermind was the country's 180 million people."
His remarks came in response to State Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism M. Rashiduzzaman Millat, who, during the budget debate, claimed that the opposition leader had previously described Tarique Rahman as the principal architect of the movement and said the proposed budget reflected his leadership.
Clarifying his earlier comments, Dr. Shafiqur said the statement cited by the minister had been made after the political changeover on August 5, 2024, not before it. He added that those who led the successful uprising deserved the nation's respect and recognition.
Referring to a recent remark by Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus in the United States, Dr. Shafiqur said he had objected to describing any individual as the sole mastermind of the movement.
"There was no single mastermind. We want to give full credit to the youth of Bangladesh, while the real mastermind was the country's 180 million people," he said.
