Desk Report:
Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed has called for maintaining the spirit of the historic July Uprising of the students and the people of 2024 and the steel-solid national unity to build a fascism-free Bangladesh.
The minister said these things while speaking as the chief guest at a discussion titled ‘Role of University Teachers in the Fall of the Fascist Government’ on the occasion of the second anniversary of the July Uprising 2024 at the Nawab Nawab Ali Chowdhury Senate Bhaban auditorium of Dhaka University on Saturday (August 8, 2026).
DU White Party convener and UTAB Secretary General Professor Dr. Under the chairmanship of Md. Morshed Hasan Khan, the Prime Minister’s Political Advisor Ruhul Kabir Rizvi and Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. ABM Obaidul Islam delivered speeches as special guests.
The minister said that this victory, achieved after 17 years of continuous democratic struggle and the blood of hundreds of thousands of martyrs, cannot be a tool to sell the consciousness of any single group. He said that to prevent the resurgence of fascism, the work of democratic reforms of the state structure must be completed through democratic practices and tolerance without falling into the trap of provocation.
The minister also said that the interim government formed on August 8, 2024 under Article 106 of the Constitution was the fruit of the adoration of the democracy-loving people of the country. The fascist Sheikh Hasina has fallen through a student-mass uprising against 17 years of oppression, torture, disappearances, murder and disenfranchisement. He said, the politics of Awami League and Sheikh Hasina died in Dhaka and was buried in Delhi. As a result, the people of Bangladesh cannot be misled by the politics of selling consciousness anymore.
Outlining the future outline of democratic reforms of the state structure and constitutional amendments, Salahuddin Ahmed said, so that no elected government can become dictatorial in the future, a provision will be added to the constitution to limit the term of the Prime Minister to a maximum of two terms. In addition, checks and balances will be ensured between the upper and lower houses of parliament. He said, the constitutions of all democratic countries in the world have been consistently amended in line with the needs and demands of the society. Similarly, initiatives have been taken to amend our constitution in a democratic way to fulfill the aspirations and expectations of the people after the popular uprising.
Addressing students and youth, the minister said, provocative statements cannot be made by showing political immaturity. Stating that there is an attempt to trap students in various educational institutions including BUET, he called on everyone to protest with patience, tolerance and democratic means.
Regarding bilateral relations with India, the Home Minister gave a clear message that India’s relations with Bangladesh will be based on mutual dignity, respect and sovereign equality. He said that on the one hand, the convicted and absconding accused Sheikh Hasina will be given an opportunity to make anti-Bangladesh statements or carry out political activities on Indian soil, and on the other hand, friendly relations with Bangladesh will be sought – these two positions are completely opposite. He expressed the hope that the Indian government will understand this issue and stop playing the ‘Hasina card’.
In the meeting, Mir Mahbubur Rahman Snigdh, brother of Shaheed Mir Mahfuzur Rahman Mughde, father of Shaheed Wasim Akram, Shaheed Abu Sayeed’s brother Md. Abu Hossain and Shaheed Ekramul Haque Sajid’s mother Nazma Khatun Lipi.
At the event, special commemorative mementos were presented to the family members of the martyrs who sacrificed their lives in the July Uprising.
Later, the minister visited the special photography exhibition organized on the occasion of the July Uprising.
Teachers, students, socio-political figures and representatives of civil society from various universities were present at the event.
