A national seminar titled “Providing Legal Basis to the July Declaration and July Charter and Our Responsibilities” was organized by Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami on Sunday, 17 August, at 3 PM at the Institution of Engineers, Ramna, Dhaka. The seminar was presided over by the party’s Nayeb-e-Ameer, and former MP Dr. Syed Abdullah Mohammad Taher. The keynote paper on “Providing Legal Basis to the July Declaration and July Charter and Our Responsibilities” was presented by eminent lawyer of the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh, Advocate Mohammad Shishir Monir.
Speakers at the seminar included Jamaat-e-Islami’s Secretary General and former MP Professor Mia Golam Porwar; Secretary General of Khelafat Majlish Dr. Ahmad Abdul Kader; Presidium Member of Islami Andolan Bangladesh Mawlana Ashraf Ali Akon; Member-Secretary of Jatiya Nagorik Party Mr. Akhtar Hossain; Secretary General of Bangladesh Khelafat Majlish Mawlana Jalal Uddin; Presidium Member of LDP Dr. Niamul Bashir; Vice President and Spokesperson of Gono Odhikar Parishad Mr. Faruq Hasan; Assistant Secretary Generals of Jamaat-e-islami Maulana ATM Masum, Maulana Rafiqul Islam Khan, and Dr. Hamidur Rahman Azad (former MP); former Registrar of the Supreme Court and former District Judge Mr. Ektedar Ahmed; Central Executive Council Member and Secretary of Central Publicity & Media Department Advocate Matiur Rahman Akanda; Ameer of Dhaka City South Nurul Islam Bulbul; Ameer of Dhaka City North Md. Selim Uddin; Brigadier General (Retd.) Hasan Nasir and Brigadier General (Retd.) ATM Ziaul Hasan; Convener of Jatiya Sangskaar Jote Major (Retd.) Amin Ahmad Afsari; Ameer of Islami Qanun Bastabayan Committee Maulana Abu Taher Jihadi; Jamaat’s Central Working Committee Member and President of Bangladesh Lawyers’ Council Advocate Jasim Uddin Sarkar; President of Bangladesh Ideal Teachers Federation Professor Dr. Korban Ali; Secretary of National Press Club Mr. Ayyub Bhuiya; Secretary General of Bangladesh Khelafat Andolon Mufti Maulana Fakhrul Islam; President of National Doctors Forum Professor Dr. Nazrul Islam; President of Bangladesh Shramajibi Party and Presidium Member of National Reform Alliance Lion Md. Abdul Kader Helali; Vice President and Spokesperson of JAGPA Engineer Rashed Pradhan; Secretary General of Bangladesh Islami Chhatrashibir Nurul Islam Saddam; Colonel (Retd.) Professor Dr. Jehad Khan; and President of Dhaka Union of Journalists Mr. Shahidul Islam.
From Jamaat-e-Islami, the attendees included Assistant Secretary Generals Maulana Abdul Halim and Maulana Muhammad Shahjahan; Central Executive Council Member Abdur Rob; Central Working Committee Members Professor Ahsan Ullah, Dr. Khalilur Rahman Madani, and Advocate Dr. Helal Uddin.
The event was jointly hosted by Jamaat Assistant Secretary General, and Head of party's Central Publicity & Media Department Advocate Ahsanul Mahboob Zubair; Central Working Committee Member and Secretary of Dhaka City South Dr. Shafiqul Islam Masud; and Central Working Committee Member and Secretary of Dhaka City North Dr. Rezaul Karim.
Other political leaders present in the seminar included Chairman of BDP Advocate Anwarul Haque Chan; Nayeb-e-Ameer of Khelafat Majlish Maulana Ahmad Ali Qasemi; Nayeb-e-Ameer of Bangladesh Khelafat Andolon Maulana Abul Qasem Hashemi; Chairman of NDP Qari Abu Taher; Chairman of Janatar Odhikar Party Mr. Torikul Islam; and Chairman of Bangladesh Jano jote Mr. Muzammel Miazi, among others.
In his speech, Dr. Syed Abdullah Mohammad Taher said: “It is due to the failures of leadership over the past 54 years that fascists came to power. Because of the people’s movement, the fascist government fled the country. To ensure fascism never returns to power, elections must be held under the PR system. The PR system must be implemented in both chambers of the legislature.”
He further stated: “After the July Revolution, those whom the people put into power are now compromising with fascism. To free the country from the clutches of fascism, we need free, fair, impartial, and participatory elections. Those who want hurried elections do not want free, fair, and impartial polls. After assuming power, the Chief Advisor himself declared: ‘First reforms and justice, then elections.’ We are saying the same thing. But those who demand elections without reforms, without justice, and without implementing the July Declaration and Charter are essentially trying to restore fascism.”
He added: “Seventy-one percent of the people of the country want elections under the PR system. The people demand that the July Declaration and Charter be given a legal basis, and elections must be held on the foundation of the July Charter. To build a Bangladesh free from terrorism, extortion, and corruption, the July Declaration and Charter must be accorded legal recognition. Otherwise, fascism will return through elections.”
Addressing the Chief Advisor, he said: “You should hold dialogue with political parties, organize round-table discussions, and then see what the people want. The July Charter and Declaration can be given a legal basis through a proclamation by the President. To achieve the people’s demands, he called upon all Islamic and democratic parties to unite and wage a joint movement.”
Jamaat's Secretary General Professor Mia Golam Porwar said: “The July Declaration is incomplete. It must be made complete in line with the demands of political parties and the people, and the July Charter must be given legal basis. Without this, any future government will not comply with these charters and declarations. Already, a leader of a party has said that if they come to power, they will erase everything.”
He also said: “Most parties in the country want elections under the PR system. Without it, elections cannot be free, fair, and impartial. Those who claim that the people do not understand PR are not telling the truth. We demand PR system in both chambers of the legislature. Together with all Islamic and democratic parties, we want to build a humane Bangladesh. For free and fair elections, the playing field must first be leveled. Then elections should be held; otherwise, the people’s expectations will not be fulfilled.”
Secretary General of Bangladesh Khelafat Majlish, Professor Dr. Ahmad Abdul Kader, said: “The July Declaration presented by the Chief Advisor on 5 August has disappointed the people. This declaration does not mention the anti-quota movement that began in 2018, nor the BDR mutiny massacre, nor the Shapla Square massacre. Therefore, the July Declaration must be revised and given legal recognition through a Presidential proclamation.”
Presidium Member of Islami Andolan Bangladesh, Ashraf Ali Akon, said: “Across Bangladesh, we see extortionists, land grabbers, terrorists, and vultures circling in hunger. The current government is not neutral. It speaks in favor of one party. In the past 54 years, vote rigging has not ended. To end vote rigging and terrorism, the PR system must be implemented. Without PR, elections will not be impartial. If we all remain united, the government will be forced to accept our demands.”
The Member-Secretary of Jatiya Nagorik Party, Akhtar Hossain, said: “There is procrastination in implementing the July Charter. The BNP, after coming to power in 1991, did not implement the outline of the three alliances. In 1996, they held a unilateral election. The July Declaration presented by the Chief Advisor must be given legal recognition. To fulfill the people’s aspirations, the current Constitution must be changed and a new Constitution to be formulated. Fascism cannot be stopped while keeping the old Constitution.”
Secretary General of Bangladesh Khelafat Majlish, Maulana Jalal Uddin, said:
“In the July Revolution, 1,600 people were martyred, and more than 20,000 were injured. In the July Declaration presented by the Chief Advisor, the people’s expectations have been ignored. The current government is being run under the advice of one party. If the July Charter is not given legal basis, the revolution will be hijacked. In 1971, a country was snatched away after victory. If this July Revolution is hijacked, the people will not forgive.”
