Major political parties on Wednesday gave mixed reactions to the July Declaration and a time frame for the next national election announced by the interim government in the previous day.
Some parties said that the announcement of the declaration and time frame for the polls was a step forward while some others observed that the declaration failed to contain the people鈥檚 aspirations fully.
Marking the first anniversary of the July uprising, at an event at South Plaza of Jatiya Sangsad in the capital Dhaka on Tuesday afternoon, the interim government chief adviser, Professor Muhammad Yunus, read out the July Declaration.
The interim government assumed office after the ouster of the authoritarian Awami League regime on August 5, 2024, in a mass uprising.
The July Declaration states that the people of Bangladesh expressed their desire to recognise the martyrs of the July uprising as national heroes.
鈥�. . . that the July Declaration will feature in the schedule of the reformed constitution as framed by the government formed through the next national election,鈥� it states, among others. In the evening on the day, Yunus, in his televised address to the nation, said that he would write to the chief election commissioner to get fully prepared to hold the next national election in February 2026 before the month of Ramadan which will begin in the third week of February.
At a press conference at Bangladesh Nationalist Party chairperson鈥檚 office in the capital on Wednesday, BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said that his party welcomed the July Declaration.
鈥楾he BNP believes that the political commitments made in the declaration will pave the way for transforming the country into a new democratic Bangladesh,鈥� he said.
Welcoming the announcement of the national election before Ramadan, Fakhrul said that the announcement matched the outcome of the London meeting between the chief adviser and BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman.
鈥楾he BNP believes that this historic announcement will help overcome Bangladesh鈥檚 political deadlock and pave the way for a transition to democracy,鈥� he said.
Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami鈥檚 nayeb-e-amir Syed Abdullah Mohammad Taher said that the chief adviser-delivered July Declaration was an incomplete statement.
He presented a written statement on behalf of the party at a press conference held at Al-Falah Auditorium in Dhaka on Wednesday.
鈥楾he declaration did not reflect the expectations of the general public,鈥� he said.
Taher added that the declaration did not contain a number of historical events, including the 1947 Azadi or partition, Pilkhana massacre and Shapla massacre.
鈥楾he roles of Islamic scholars, madrassah teachers and students, expatriates and online activists in the July uprising were also not acknowledged, which was injustice and disregard for history,鈥� Taher said.
He added that his party expected that the chief adviser would consult political parties before announcing the national election time frame.
鈥楴evertheless, in the interests of the nation, we view the chief adviser鈥檚 announcement as a positive step,鈥� Taher said.
The National Citizen Party at a press conference at its office at Bangla Motor in Dhaka welcomed the July Declaration, but said that it expected more in the document.
The party鈥檚 member secretary, Ahkter Hossen, said that his party had no objection to the announced election time frame.
鈥楤ut the election must be held after the trials of fascists become visible, the reforms in different sectors are done and the impartiality of the administration and the level playing field are ensured,鈥� Akhter said.
Ganosamhati Andolan accepted the July Declaration as a direct outcome of the historic July uprising.
The party鈥檚 chief coordinator, Zonayed Saki, however, warned that if the people鈥檚 aspirations embodied in the declaration are not realised, the old arrangements would return once again and strip the people of their rights.
The party welcomed the announcement of the time frame for the 13th parliamentary polls.
Amar Bangladesh Party president Mojibur Rahman Monju, in a brief statement, said that his party welcomed the announcement of national election in February before Ramadan.
AB Party is demanding a visible progress in justice and an election based on the July Charter, in addition to creating a fair electoral environment, Monju said.
Welcoming the July Declaration, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal-JSD president ASM Abdur Rab and general secretary Shahid Uddin Mahmud Swapan issued a statement, saying that they viewed this as a beginning towards building a democratic Bangladesh.
鈥楾he declaration, while acknowledging past failures and outlining the future structure of the state, underscores the need for an institutional framework that ensures the people鈥檚 participation,鈥� they said.
In a statement, the Revolutionary Workers Party of Bangladesh general secretary Saiful Haque said that the chief adviser鈥檚 election-related announcement would help ease the uncertainty, distrust and disbelief that had developed surrounding the national election.
Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis amir Mamunul Haque said, 鈥楾he July Declaration insulted Islamists and grossly neglected the people鈥檚 aspirations.鈥�
He said the declaration also missed crucial historical events.
The party did not welcome the announcement of the election time frame, saying that the announcement was not based on a national dialogue or consensus.
鈥楴o participatory election is possible without real reforms, justice against fascism, national unity and the creation of a level playing field beforehand,鈥� Mamunul said.
Gana Adhikar Parishad warned that it would boycott the July Declaration if the document failed to include the historical context of the July uprising, including the 2018 quota reform movement.
They also demanded that essential reforms based on consensus be completed before the election.
Rashtra Sangskar Andolan appreciated the unveiling of the July Declaration, but it, in a statement, said that the party observed that the declaration failed to unite the nation.
鈥業t has not been able to reflect the collective aspirations of the people,鈥� it said.