1971 was the war for freedom, 2024 the war to preserve it: Tarique

BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman has said that 1971 was a war for freedom, and the mass uprising of 2024 was a war to preserve that freedom. 

In a pre-recorded speech shared on the BNP Media Cell page on Facebook this morning (5 August), marking one year since the fall of what he termed a "fascist regime," Tarique drew parallels between the Liberation War against West Pakistan and last year's mass uprising spearheaded by students that led to the fall of the Awami League government.

He said, "Exactly one year ago today, on 5 August 2024, the fascist forces fled Bangladesh. It was a day of liberation, a day of joy and victory for the freedom-loving and democracy-loving people of this nation."

"The interim government has declared this day as 'July Mass Uprising Day'. From now on, people will enjoy this day every year as a public holiday," he added.

As the speech continued, he stated that the martyrs of July have indebted the countrymen by sacrificing their lives to establish the country's freedom and the rights of the country and its people.

"Now it's our turn to repay the debt. We should repay the debt by ensuring the economic and political empowerment of the people, while establishing social dignity, equality, and a justice-based democratic Bangladesh," said the BNP leader.

He said a fugitive autocrat had established a reign of terror in the 21st-century in Bangladesh where enforced disappearances, killings, abductions, attacks, false cases, torture and oppression became common and normal part of life.

During the movement against this fascism, which lasted for more than 15 years, Tarique said lakhs of leaders and activists from BNP and other pro-democracy parties were made to suffer terribly by turning the country into a hell, reports UNB.

"Due to hundreds of false cases, millions of opposition leaders and supporters were forced to leave their homes. Many even lost their family ties," he said.

Tarique also said secret detention centres, known as "Aynaghar", were built to silence dissent. "Many people were locked up in dark rooms for years. Some, like former MP Ilias Ali and commissioner Chowdhury Alam, are still missing."

He accused the Awami fascist regime of destroying key national institutions like the judiciary and the Election Commission, rigging elections and undermining the constitution.

The BNP leader also blamed the Sheikh Hasina regime for ruining the economy, looting the banking sector and siphoning off nearly Tk 28 lakh crore abroad from the country.

Giving importance to the national election, he reiterated that the first and foremost political initiative to establish a democratic Bangladesh is to establish a government that is accountable to the people through direct vote.

He said more than 1,500 people were killed and at least 30,000 were injured in the uprising while hundreds became permanently disabled or lost their eyesight.

The BNP leader said the sacrifices of these brave people have united the nation against fascism. "Never again will Bangladesh allow dictatorship to rise. Democracy will be protected, and no one will be allowed to turn the country into a subservient state again."

"We want to build a Bangladesh like 'Bangladesh through a mother's eyes'—a country where every child, every person, regardless of party affiliation, religion, race, belief, disbelief, or scepticism, can live safely," he added.

"May today and every '5th of August' in the future become a day of commitment to establish democracy and good governance", Tarique concluded.