Student leaders announce mass campaign for July Proclamation

The Jatiya Nagorik Committee and the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement have announced a six-day nationwide campaign starting tomorrow in all educational institutions to promote the July Proclamation.

Hasnat Abdullah, convener of the movement, made the announcement today (4 January) at a joint press conference of the two organisations held at the central office of the platform in the capital's Banglamotor.

"Although the government has taken the initiative to issue the July Proclamation, no effective steps have been taken so far. Therefore, we will be conducting a nationwide campaign on 6-11 January, distributing leaflets," Hasnat said.

Urging the government to be active in this regard, he said, "We have a draft of the proclamation ready. We are ready to assist the government if it wants."

Jatiya Nagorik Committee Convener Nasiruddin Patwary said they would announce a tougher programme if the proclamation, designed to set the country's next goals, burying the 1972 constitution, is delayed.

Earlier on 28 December, student leaders announced on their social media that they would declare the "Proclamation of the July Uprising" on 31 December at the Central Shaheed Minar in the capital. 

However, Chief Adviser's Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam said on 30 December night that the interim government had taken the initiative to prepare a proclamation of the July mass uprising based on national consensus. 

Jatiya Nagorik Committee and the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement then held joint meetings and announced a "March for Unity" programme instead of the proclamation.

During the March for Unity programme, the student leaders demanded that the interim government announce the July Proclamation by 15 January.