The full ‘July Declaration’ read by the Chief Adviser

On the occasion of “July Mass Uprising Day,” Tuesday, August 5, 2025, Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus read the July Declaration at the historic event held at the South Plaza of the National Parliament.

Standing beside him were leaders from various political parties, including BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary General Mia Golam Porwar, NCP Convener Nahid Islam, and President of Nagorik Oikya Mahmudur Rahman Manna.

The event began with the national anthem, followed by a one-minute silence observed by all attendees.

As rain fell during the reading of the declaration, Professor Muhammad Yunus said from the dais, “Blessings are pouring upon us. With divine mercy, I will now read this declaration…” And then he began:

Text of the July Declaration

1. Whereas in continuation of the long-standing anti-colonial struggle, the people of this land resisted 23 years of deprivation and exploitation under Pakistan’s autocratic rule and declared independence on March 26, 1971, establishing the state of Bangladesh through a bloody liberation war;
2. Whereas the people of Bangladesh, through prolonged movements and sacrifices, aimed to build a liberal democratic state based on equality, human dignity, and social justice as declared in the proclamation of independence;
3. Whereas the process of drafting the 1972 Constitution of independent Bangladesh, its structural weaknesses and misuse led to the failure of the post-independence Awami League government to fulfill the aspirations of the Liberation War and weakened democratic institutions;
4. Whereas the Awami League government established a constitutionally sanctioned one-party system called BAKSAL, suppressing freedom of expression and judicial independence, prompting a united Sipahi-Janata revolution on November 7, 1975, which paved the way for restoring multi-party democracy and judicial independence;
5. Whereas the mass uprising of 1990, following nine years of student-public resistance against military autocracy, led to the reestablishment of parliamentary democracy in 1991;
6. Whereas due to internal and external conspiracies, the democratic process of regime change was disrupted, leading to the conspiratorial imposition of the 1/11 regime, facilitating Sheikh Hasina’s autocratic rule and fascism;
7. Whereas over the past sixteen years, an authoritarian and anti-people regime, driven by a radical one-party ambition, made unconstitutional and undemocratic amendments to the Constitution, enabling absolute power concentration;
8. Whereas Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League government, through misrule, enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, and suppression of free speech, altered the Constitution to serve one-party interests, destroying state and constitutional institutions;
9. Whereas under Sheikh Hasina’s fascist leadership, the government became a tyrannical, mafia-style regime that undermined Bangladesh’s global image and made the state dysfunctional;
10. Whereas in the name of development, rampant corruption, bank looting, money laundering, and destruction of financial institutions devastated Bangladesh’s economy, environment, biodiversity, and climate;
11. Whereas the people, political parties, student and labor organizations have been subjected to continued repression, arrests, torture, disappearances, and killings during 16 years of resistance against Sheikh Hasina’s fascist regime;
12. Whereas the Awami League government, loyal to foreign powers, violently suppressed the people’s rightful movement against foreign exploitation and control;
13. Whereas to maintain illegitimate power, the Awami League government conducted three farcical national elections (2014, 2018, and 2024), depriving people of voting rights and representation;
14. Whereas dissenting political activists, students, and youths faced brutal repression, and due to politically biased appointments and discriminatory quotas in government jobs, massive resentment grew among students and job seekers;
15. Whereas severe public anger emerged from prolonged oppression of opposition parties and organizations, and the people continued their anti-fascist struggle through all legitimate means;
16. Whereas the government brutally cracked down on the anti-discrimination student movement demanding quota reform and anti-corruption, causing the movement to erupt into a mass uprising;
17. Whereas all sectors of society including political, religious, social, cultural, professional, and labor organizations joined the anti-fascist student-public uprising, during which Awami fascist forces killed nearly a thousand people including women and children, left many maimed or blinded, and members of the armed forces ultimately supported the democratic movement;
18. Whereas in response to the student-led anti-discrimination movement, the people launched a non-cooperation movement and on August 5, 2024, marched towards Dhaka; and in the final phase, as mass crowds approached the Gonobhaban, fascist Sheikh Hasina resigned and fled the country;
19. Whereas the sovereignty of the people expressed through this mass uprising is politically, legally, and internationally justified and recognized;
20. Whereas the illegitimate 12th National Parliament was dissolved, and on August 8, 2024, based on Article 106 of the Constitution and the opinion of the Supreme Court, an interim government was formed under the leadership of Dr. Muhammad Yunus;
21. Whereas the people’s desire for a fascism-free, discrimination-free, and corruption-free state was expressed through this uprising;
22. Therefore, the people of Bangladesh express their commitment to reform the Constitution and democratic institutions to ensure good governance, fair elections, rule of law, and social and economic justice;
23. Therefore, the people demand justice for crimes such as enforced disappearances, murders, genocide, crimes against humanity, persecution, and plundering of state property committed during the 16 years of fascist rule and the 2024 uprising;
24. Therefore, the people declare the martyrs of the July uprising as national heroes and express the intention to provide legal protection and support to the injured fighters and student protesters;
25. Therefore, the people express the intention to institutionalize democratic reforms through a free, fair, and neutral election, ensuring a society and state based on rule of law, human rights, anti-corruption, non-discrimination, values, and democracy, in line with the aspirations of especially the youth;
26. Therefore, the people express the intention to secure the rights of current and future generations through an inclusive and sustainable development strategy that is climate- and environment-resilient;
27. The people of Bangladesh express the desire that the 2024 student mass uprising be granted formal state and constitutional recognition and that this Declaration be incorporated in the annex of the reformed Constitution following the next elected government;
28. This declaration is thus formulated as a reflection of the aspirations of the victorious people of Bangladesh in the mass uprising of August 5, 2024.