Chief adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus on Tuesday urged people to resist any resurgence of dictatorship in the country, emphasising that history testified that when the people wake up, no force can resist them.
He also urged the people to observe the July Uprising every year to resist re-emergence of autocracy.
鈥榃e will observe this [July Uprising] every year so that we do not have to wait 16 years for another uprising again. We will do this every year so that we can destroy it immediately if there is any sign of dictatorship,鈥� Yunus said while inaugurating a month-long programme at his office in Dhaka鈥檚 Tejgaon, commemorating the July Uprising.
The chief adviser said that a year ago, in the July, the movement that the students started gave the people a taste of freedom by creating an unprecedented mass uprising. The July was an unforgettable call, an awakening of the people in the struggle to restore democracy in the country.
Professor Yunus said that the essence of that movement was - 鈥楤uild a new Bangladesh by eliminating fascism, return the state to the hands of the people鈥�.
鈥楾oday, we have taken up the programme to commemorate the July Uprising. This is not just a matter of emotion, it is not a matter of expressing anger,鈥� he said.
The immediate target of the mass uprising was fulfilled but there was a great dream behind it 鈥� to reconstruct a new state system and build a new Bangladesh, he opined.
In his speech, Yunus remembered with deep respect all those who took to the streets and held the flag of democracy high, and became the symbols of courage, sacrifice and determination during the uprising.
He said that the month-long programme beginning Tuesday was not just a remembrance, but a new oath. 鈥榃e want the unity that was created among people of all classes, professions and ages of this country in July last year to be consolidated again this July.鈥�
The chief adviser said that the main goal of the programme was to make the people aware of their democratic rights, demand political accountability, and not to miss the opportunity for reforms obtained at the cost of blood.
鈥楾he path ahead of us is very difficult, but there is also great potential. History testifies that when the people wake up, no force can resist them,鈥� Yunus said.
With that belief, the chief adviser called upon all to make the July, month of mass awakening and unity.
Through the programme, throughout the month of July-August, he said that they would revive every day of the last year for which the young students, commoners, rickshaw pullers, and workers were martyred and injured, and they would take a new oath to implement that goal.
Yunus inaugurated the month-long programme to commemorate the July Uprising and wished the programme a success. On the occasion, he unveiled the QR code of the programme. He also handed over scholarship cheques to three National University students.
Cultural affairs adviser Mostofa Sarwar Farooki and education adviser CR Abrar also spoke.
