The National Citizen Party (NCP) has announced its reactions to the July Declaration and the chief adviser's address to the nation, calling for a "New Bangladesh" and outlining essential conditions for upcoming elections.
While the party "salutes the government's initiative" in passing the long-awaited proclamation, which came a year after the July-August mass uprising last year, the NCP also asserts that the document would have been "more complete" if several crucial issues had been included.
Speaking on the first anniversary of the uprising, the Member Secretary of the NCP Akhtar Hossain expressed the party's general welcome of the government's initiative in passing the July Declaration, while also highlighting several areas they believe require further attention and clarification, at the party's temporary office situated Banglamotor, Dhaka around 12:30pm on Wednesday.
While welcoming the July declaration, the NCP indicated that a thorough internal review suggests the declaration could have been "more complete" if certain issues had been included.
The NCP noted that the declaration mentions anti-colonial struggles but fails to reference 1947 as a key point in this land's anti-colonial movement.
The party believes that incorporating references to 1947, 1971 and the 2024 uprising would have made the declaration more comprehensive in representing Bangladesh's journey towards sovereignty.
The declaration uses the figure of approximately 1,000 martyrs, yet the NCP pointed out that UN reports indicate 1,400 martyrs during this period.
The NCP views this disparity as evidence that the government has been "unsuccessful" in accurately determining the true number of martyrs and injured over the past year.
The NCP highlighted the absence of crucial national events from the past 16 years, which they believe have left a long-term impact on national life.
These include the Pilkhana Carnage, Shapla Massacre, judicial killings, Anti-VAT movement, Quota Reform Movement of 2018, Safe Road Movement of 2018, murder of Abrar Fahad and Anti-Modi Movement.
The NCP believes that including these historical events would have made the declaration more complete and provided "historical recognition" to these struggles.
The NCP expressed strong reservations about points 25 and 27 of the declaration, which state that it will be included in the schedule of a "reformed constitution" by an elected government.
The NCP has consistently advocated for a "new constitution" through a Constituent Assembly election and believes that linking the declaration to a "reformed" constitution bypasses their demand for a completely new one.
They assert that a new constitution, with the July Declaration embedded in its preamble, is the solution to embody the aspirations of the new political generation emerged in Bangladesh.
The NCP further stressed that the reforms agreed upon by political parties in the Unity Commission and decided by the commission regarding the July Charter must be implemented starting from the interim government's tenure.
These reforms should be made effective through a Legal Framework Order and future national elections should be held based on the effectiveness of the July Charter and July Declaration.
Regarding the chief adviser's proposed election timeline, the NCP said they have no objection to elections being held between December and June.
However, they emphasized that the government has "compulsory duties" that must be fulfilled before any elections are held.
These duties include bringing perpetrators of genocide to justice, making justice "visible", implementing reforms to bring about "qualitative changes in the state structure," as the government began its journey with a mandate for such reforms, ensuring the neutrality of field administration and ensuring a level playing field for all.
The NCP member secretary reiterated that the government must provide assurances for visible justice, neutral administration and a level playing field before elections.
