BNP Standing Committee member Hafizuddin Ahmed on Thursday said Bangladesh’s 1972 constitution reflected the aspirations of the people, calling it a product of the Liberation War rather than the Awami League.
“After the Liberation War, we had no personal ambition for political power, which allowed the Awami League to assume office with India’s support,” he told a discussion at the Jatiya Press Club, marking the 33rd founding anniversary of the Nationalist Freedom Fighters’ Party.
Hafizuddin stressed that the constitution embodies the aspirations of ordinary citizens and that the Awami League’s involvement in its drafting was incidental. “It should not be regarded as the Awami League’s creation,” he added.
Criticizing calls to discard the 1972 Constitution, he called them “completely pointless,” and emphasized the need for a free and fair election under an interim government.
“Those who have never witnessed the Liberation War claim the Constitution must be thrown out and the July Charter placed above it. In 1971, we fought for democracy, yet it has still not been fully realized,” he said.
Recalling the period before the March 25, 1971 military crackdown, Hafizuddin said Tajuddin Ahmed had urged Sheikh Mujibur Rahman to declare independence, but he refused, believing in an undivided Pakistan.
He underscored that constitutions are formulated by elected representatives, and this principle must continue. “No unelected individuals can amend the Constitution,” he said.
Warning that the current generation often fails to recognize the sacrifices made during the Liberation War, he called the idea of placing the July Accord above the Constitution “entirely baseless.”
Hafizuddin concluded by reminding the audience that the 1971 war was fought to establish democracy—an ideal that has yet to be fully realized.
