Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus Reads Out the ‘July Declaration’ in Bangladesh

Correspondent Dhaka

Chief Adviser Professor Dr. Muhammad Yunus formally read out the “July Declaration” on Tuesday (August 5) afternoon at a public rally held at Manik Mia Avenue in the capital. The declaration presents a framework for the country’s political transition amid the current national context.

Below are the major points of the declaration:
The people of this land, as part of a long anti-colonial legacy, rose against 23 years of exploitation under Pakistani military rule, and declared independence on March 26, 1971. Through a bloody liberation war, the sovereign state of Bangladesh was established.

The people of Bangladesh made supreme sacrifices to realize a liberal democratic state based on equality, human dignity, and social justice as articulated in the declaration of independence.

The 1972 Constitution of Bangladesh, owing to its structural weaknesses and misuse, failed to uphold the aspirations of the Liberation War. The post-independence Awami League government undermined democratic governance and state institutions.

The Awami League instituted a one-party system under BAKSAL, abolishing political pluralism and judicial independence. This led to a joint soldier-people uprising on November 7, 1975, paving the way for multiparty democracy and judicial freedom.

A nine-year student-led mass movement culminated in the 1990 popular uprising, restoring the parliamentary democratic system in 1991.

The democratic process was disrupted by internal and external conspiracies, leading to the authoritarian rise of Sheikh Hasina under the controversial 1/11 military-backed regime.

For the past sixteen years, unconstitutional amendments were made to establish authoritarian and one-party rule, further centralizing absolute power.

Under Hasina’s rule, enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, suppression of dissent, and constitutional manipulation weakened all state and constitutional institutions.

The Hasina-led regime fostered authoritarianism, criminal governance, and human rights violations, severely damaging Bangladesh’s international image.

In the name of “development,” the regime engaged in massive corruption, bank looting, money laundering, and the collapse of financial institutions. The country’s environment and biodiversity were severely harmed.

Political parties, students, workers, and ordinary citizens faced brutal repression—including imprisonment, enforced disappearances, and extrajudicial killings—over 16 years of struggle.

Movements against foreign dominance were crushed with force under the regime’s subservience to external powers.

The people were denied voting rights through three controversial national elections (2014, 2018, 2024), consolidating illegal authority.

Political dissenters, students, and youth were harshly repressed. Government jobs were filled through partisan recruitment and discriminatory quota systems, causing widespread frustration.

Repression of opposition parties and activists intensified public outrage, leading to an anti-fascist resistance across the country.

During the anti-discrimination student movement, the regime launched brutal crackdowns, resulting in widespread protests and an eventual national uprising.

People from all sectors—political, religious, cultural, professional, and social—joined the uprising. Nearly 1,000 people, including women and children, were allegedly killed by government forces. Many were maimed or blinded. Eventually, members of the armed forces expressed solidarity with the people’s democratic cause.

Amid the final phase of the uprising and the people’s march toward Ganabhaban, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resigned and fled the country on August 5, 2024.

The declaration asserts that the overthrow of the illegal regime through the popular uprising is justified both politically and legally, and recognized internationally.

The illegitimate 12th National Parliament was dissolved, and based on Article 106 of the Constitution and the Supreme Court’s opinion, an interim government led by Dr. Yunus was constitutionally formed on August 8, 2024.

The people of Bangladesh expressed their firm desire to build a society free from fascism, inequality, and corruption, as symbolized by the student-led uprising.

The declaration calls for democratic reform of the Constitution and state institutions to prevent the return of authoritarianism and to ensure good governance, free elections, rule of law, and social justice.

The people of Bangladesh demand immediate justice for the crimes committed by the former regime, including killings, disappearances, torture, and looting of state assets.

The martyrs of the July Uprising are to be declared national heroes. Their families and injured or persecuted protesters are to be granted full legal protection and support.

A free, fair, and inclusive election is to be held within a reasonable timeframe. The new Parliament will implement constitutional reforms to reflect the aspirations of the people, especially the youth, establishing a democratic, just, and value-based society.

The people demand climate-resilient, inclusive, and sustainable development strategies that safeguard the rights of present and future generations.

The declaration calls for constitutional recognition of the 2024 student uprising and the incorporation of the “July Declaration” into the annex of the reformed Constitution.

The declaration concludes as a reflection of the will and victory of the people of Bangladesh on August 5, 2024.