The newly elected leaders of Students Against Discrimination on Tuesday said that they would take forward their organisational activities prioritising the demands for the July Declaration to uphold the spirit of the July uprising and the July Charter for reforms in various sectors.
They made the remarks at the 鈥榩ublic appearance鈥� programme of the newly elected committee of SAD at the Central Shaheed Minar on the Dhaka University campus.
SAD spearheaded the mass uprising that ousted the Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League regime on August 5, 2024.
The organisation president Rifat Rashid, while announcing the organisation鈥檚 draft manifesto, said that they wanted to reshape the platform and advance the 鈥榩olitics of the July uprising鈥�.
Mentioning the organisation鈥檚 primary activities regarding the demand for the July Declaration, he said that the July Declaration, promised by the interim government, must be issued and its constitutional basis must be ensured.
He also said that all activities of the interim government must be incorporated in the constitution as 鈥榯ransitional and temporary provisions鈥�.
Explaining SAD鈥檚 demands regarding the July Charter for holding reforms in various sectors and the trials of the fascists, Rifat said that reforms must be implemented before the national election and the next election must be held on the basis of those reforms.
If necessary, the reform proposals important for the people but not agreed by all political parties should be included in the July Charter and a referendum should be held on it, said Rifat.
He said that the charter must be included in the appendix to the rewritten or reformed constitution.
The charter must include commitments to ensure the trial for all crimes committed by the Awami League, including the July massacre and all killings, rigging in elections, enforced disappearances and looting during its 15-year fascist regime, said Rifat.
The other demands for those SAD will work include constitutional protection for individuals, groups and organisations that participated in the uprising, constitutional recognition of the martyrs and injured in the uprising, and state recognition of the then 158 coordinators of SAD.
Rifat also said that the organisation would take stern action if anyone commits any misdeed misusing SAD鈥檚 name.
On December 30, 2024, the chief adviser鈥檚 press secretary Shafiqul Alam announced that the government would prepare the July Declaration based on national consensus as Students Against Discrimination along with National Citizens鈥� Committee leaders took the initiative to announce the declaration on December 31.
Welcoming the government announcement, the students later refrained from announcing the declaration.
Most of the central leaders of SAD, including Nahid Islam, Sarjis Alam, Hasnat Abdullah and Abdul Hannan Masud left the platform and formed the National Citizen Party on February 28.
After inactivity for months, the SAD held its first central council on June 25 and elected its new leaders.
Newly elected SAD general secretary Hasan Enam, senior vice-president MJH Jonju, spokesperson Sinthiya Zaheen Ayesha, organising secretary Moinul Islam, among others, were also present.
