The Bangladesh Prabashi Adhikar Parishad on Tuesday demanded the recognition of the contributions of expatriates to the 2024 July uprising and their political inclusion in the July National Charter.
On the day, the parishad submitted a memorandum to the National Consensus Commission, calling for the voting right and parliamentary representation for Bangladeshis living abroad.
Delegates, including the Gano Adhikar Parishad鈥檚 higher council members Faruk Hassan, Abu Hanif, and BPAP adviser
Shakil Uzzaman, submitted the memorandum to NCC member Badiul Alam Majumdar at the commission鈥檚 Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban office in the capital Dhaka.
The memorandum highlighted that expatriate Bangladeshis played an active role in both the 1971 Liberation War and the recent July uprising through remittance shutdowns, financial support, opinion mobilisation abroad, and moral backing.
Despite such contributions, the BPAP delegates expressed disappointment that the draft charter omitted specific proposals regarding their contributions, voting right, and representation.
On August 17, the consensus commission sent the draft charter to political parties.
Terming expatriates as an integral force in both economic and democratic progress of the country, the expatriate Bangladeshi citizens recommended that the charter should include a separate section.
They said that the National Consensus Commission should recognise expatriates鈥� role, ensure their voting right through polling at respective embassies or by an online system, reserve JS seats for them or allow their direct representation in
the parliament, and adopt a policy to translate their economic and social contributions into political recognition.
Highlighting that nearly two crore expatriate Bangladeshis are vital in shaping the nation鈥檚 democratic future, leaders present during the memorandum submission urged the commission to incorporate their demands into the final draft of the July National Charter.
BPAP secretary for trafficking prevention and rehabilitation Shahab Uddin Shihab and Gano Adhikar Parishad leader Wasim Uddin, among others, were present on the occasion.
