Chaos erupts at July Uprising Day event over documentary, NCP walks out
Acting President Hafiz Uddin terms such mistakes undesirable; minister apologises
A state programme to mark July Mass Uprising Day 2026 descended into disruption today (5 August) following the screening of an official documentary that attendees alleged misattributed key historical events and omitted central figures of the movement.
The Ministry of Liberation War Affairs organised the event to mark July Mass Uprising Day 2026 at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar in Dhaka.
Participants alleged that the documentary omitted Abu Sayeed, a symbol of the July Uprising, portrayed BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman instead of Nahid Islam as the announcer of the one-point demand, and ignored the contributions of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement and its coordinators.
NCP leaders later walked out of the programme in protest against the documentary.
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The programme began at 12pm with a recitation from the Holy Qur'an. Acting President Hafiz Uddin Ahmad, Bir Bikram, attended as the chief guest.
After the screening of the documentary, a section of injured July protesters and martyrs' family members began protesting. NCP central leaders and activists also joined them in chanting "Bhua! Bhua!" ("Fake! Fake!").
Liberation War Affairs Minister Ahmed Aazam Khan urged everyone to remain calm.
At one point, State Minister for Liberation War Affairs Ishraque Hossain told the attendees, "You have come here to display your ignorance."
His remark triggered renewed commotion. Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed then repeatedly appealed for calm.
NCP Member Secretary Akhter Hossen then took the stage and urged the attendees to remain calm.
"As a July fighter and a representative of my party, I wish this programme success. But, in the hope of something better for myself and my fellow fighters, I cannot remain here," he said.
Akhter thanked Acting President Hafiz Uddin Ahmad for his stance in support of Bangladesh.
"He is both a freedom fighter and a July fighter, and I express my respect for him. With that respect, I have decided to leave the venue quietly," he added.
"We have failed to present the full history even at a state programme," the NCP member secretary said.
Just as the Awami League presented the history of the Liberation War in a one-sided manner, a similar situation has been created here, he added.
Akhter Hossen alleged that the documentary did not mention the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement or its nine-point demand. It also omitted the declaration of the one-point demand at the Central Shaheed Minar on 3 August 2024.
Liberation War Affairs Minister Ahmed Aazam Khan later said the documentary would be reviewed.
"If there are any inconsistencies in the documentary, we will identify them, discuss them with you and take the necessary action," he said.
The programme resumed after the situation calmed.
Acting President Hafiz Uddin Ahmad also criticised the documentary, saying it contained errors that those concerned had acknowledged.
"People make mistakes. There were certainly many errors in the documentary. The first mistake I noticed was that there was no image of Abu Sayeed," he said.
Abu Sayeed is the face and symbol of this revolution. Without his image, it cannot be a complete documentary. There was also no image of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, he added.
Hafiz Uddin said the minister concerned had acknowledged the errors and apologised. However, he said creating disorder at a national programme over such mistakes was undesirable.
NCP Joint Member Secretary and former Anti-Discrimination Student Movement coordinator Mahin Sarker, who attended the programme, later criticised the documentary in a Facebook post.
He wrote that the documentary had presented Prime Minister Tarique Rahman as the announcer of the one-point demand.
"Nahid Islam, who signed his own death warrant by announcing the one-point demand, has no place in the BNP's history," he wrote.
Asif Mahmud, who announced the "March to Dhaka" despite knowing that death was certain, also has no place in that history, he added.
Mahin further alleged that the prime minister's forces attacked him for protesting against the documentary and that the attack took place in front of the acting president.
