July Uprising doesn’t belong to any single 'mastermind': Jamaat Ameer

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr Shafiqur Rahman on Wednesday said the July Uprising was not the achievement of any individual or political party but of the country's people as a whole.

Addressing an 11-party rally marking the second anniversary of the July Uprising at the south gate of the Baitul Mukarram National Mosque in Dhaka, he said there was no single ‘mastermind’ behind the movement.

“The real masterminds of the July movement are the thousands of people who endured repression and made sacrifices,” he said, adding that while the movement belonged to the entire nation, student leaders and young people deserved recognition for their leadership. “There should be no competition over claiming its credit,” he added.

Rahman paid tribute to those who were killed, injured, detained, disappeared or subjected to torture between October 28, 2006 and August 5, 2024, saying their sacrifices would be remembered by the nation. He urged the government to ensure advanced medical treatment and rehabilitation for those injured during the movement, confer state recognition on the families of those killed and expedite the trial of those responsible for the killings.

Criticising the government, the Jamaat chief alleged that many promises made during the July movement had yet to be implemented. He also claimed that artificial shortages of gas and electricity were created before tariff hikes to justify price increases, and accused the government of failing to effectively address rising living costs, the energy crisis and public suffering.

The rally was organised by an alliance of 11 political parties. Among the speakers were Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Chairman Col (Retd) Dr Oli Ahmed Bir Bikram, Jamaat Assistant Secretary General Hamidur Rahman Azad, AB Party Chairman Mujibur Rahman Manju and Bangladesh Labour Party Chairman Dr Mostafizur Rahman Iran. They spoke on issues including implementation of referendum outcomes, constitutional reforms, governance and the country's current political situation. The programme was presided over by Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis Ameer Allama Mamunul Haque.

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr. Shafiqur Rahman called on the top leadership of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) to take organisational action against those allegedly involved in recent attacks on Islami Chhatra Shibir activists at educational institutions.

Speaking to reporters after visiting injured Shibir leaders and activists receiving treatment at Islami Bank Central Hospital in Kakrail, the Jamaat chief alleged that activists of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD), Jubo Dal and Swechchhasebak Dal had carried out a series of violent attacks on Shibir members over the past four days at several campuses, including Jagannath University, Begum Rokeya University, Dhaka Alia Madrasa, Dhaka College and Bangla College.