Anti-discrimination Student Movement Secretary Arif Sohel says they will discuss content of the July declaration in the next phase
Published : 17 Jan 2025, 01:08 AM
In drafting the July declaration, political parties in the all-party meeting have advised that it is not done “hastily and carelessly”.
Representatives of the parties have also urged the interim government, which is responsible for creating the declaration based on the mass movements of July-August 2024, to draft it on a consensual basis.
On Thursday evening, coming out of the all-party meeting at the Foreign Service Academy in the capital, Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary General Mia Golam Parwar and Chief Coordinator of the Gonosamhati Andolon Zonayed Saki said the same.
However, Nasiruddin Patwary, the convener of the National Citizens’ Committee, who had raised the demand for the publication of the declaration, asked the stakeholders to watch out for the political parties' tendency to dilly-dally over the matter.
Anti-Discrimination Student Movement Secretary Arif Sohel said, "Although we had hoped to issue the declaration by Jan 15, we did not see the government taking immediate steps. However, we have appreciated the initiatives they are taking.
"We have reached consensus among the participants of the uprising. The July declaration will be issued based on the consensus of the participants of the uprising and all democratic political parties.
“In the next phase, we will discuss what will be included in the July declaration, which will reflect the aspirations of the students and public who took to the streets during the July uprising."
The meeting was called at 4:30pm by Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus and was attended by representatives from 16 political parties and organisations including the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, or BNP.
The leadership of the uprising, the Anti-discrimination Student Movement, and the newly formed National Citizen’s Committee themselves announced the issuance of the July declaration, prompting the interim government to take initiative in this matter. As part of this, the government called this meeting.
Representatives from registered political parties such as BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami, Gono Songothon Andolon, AB Party, Khelafat Andolon, JSD, Khelafat Majlis, Islami Andolon Bangladesh, Gono Odhikar Parishad, National Democratic Party, and Gono Front were present at the meeting.
Also present were representatives from the Rastro Songskar Andolan or State Reform Movement, Nezam-e-Islami, Bangladesher Samajtantrik Dal, or BaSad (Marxist), National Citizens’ Committee, and the Anti-discrimination Student Movement.At the beginning of the meeting, the chief advisor delivered a speech where the draft of the declaration sent to the parties was discussed. Representatives of the parties presented their statements. The meeting concluded around 6pm.
Exiting the meeting, representatives of the political parties and Law Advisor Asif Nazrul spoke with journalists.
After the meeting, Zonayed Saki said: "We have said that this should not be done hastily or carelessly. The government needs to take the initiative for preparing the declaration.
"What will it contain? What are the legal aspects? What are the political aspects? These questions need to be agreed upon from a place of consensus."
He emphasised the necessity of forming a draft committee by the government. "The draft committee will be responsible for drafting it. The document must be prepared, taking the necessary time and incorporating the opinions of all stakeholders, including students and political parties. It's a document for the future.
"This will always serve as our political guide. It should be prepared accordingly."
Golam Parwar added: "I can emphatically say that every party feels the need for a declaration. However, if rushed, errors could mar the declaration meant to embody the core spirit of the August 5 uprising. We need to take our time.
"There needs to be an exchange of views with political parties and various stakeholders. How to prepare a well-written declaration that holds the aspirations of the July uprising, including the history of the uprising, the history of struggle, and the pre and post-independence history, has been discussed.
Speaking about the separate proposals from the parties, he added: "Later, all will be amalgamated into a beautiful declaration."
However, he added: "We should not delay unnecessarily to avoid any chaos or conspiracies by those waiting to exploit such situations. The initiative should start promptly. An advisor from the government has said they will review our opinions.
"After some homework, they will meet with us again in the next phase."
Nasiruddin, the convener of the Citizens’ Committee, said: "The government has said that it will be published very soon with some reviews. This requires discussions on various perspectives and linguistic choices. For this, the political parties have asked for time from the chief advisor.
"He has advised keeping an eye on the parties' delay to ensure that there is neither undue delay nor too much haste, so we can publish something on which everyone agrees."
He also believes that without this document, Bangladesh's transition to democracy is not possible.
Junaid Al Habib, senior joint secretary of Hifazat-e Islam, said: "We have mentioned that many issues have been highlighted here, but the 2013 Shapla Square massacre must also be linked to it."
Amar Bangladesh (AB) Party General Secretary Asaduzzaman Fuad said, "Various political parties have suggested appointing a constitutional reform commission or another committee or commission for drafting the declaration.