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Zakir Hossain from Dhaka
The interim government of Bangladesh is set to unveil the long-awaited “July Declaration” on August 5, marking the first anniversary of the mass uprising that led to the ouster of Sheikh Hasina’s regime. A formal announcement will be made at 5pm in the presence of key stakeholders involved in the 2024 student-led movement, the Chief Adviser’s Press Wing said on Saturday.
The draft of the declaration has been finalised in consultation with political parties, the government confirmed. The move follows persistent calls from student groups, particularly Students Against Discrimination (SAD), who began demanding the declaration in December last year.
Information Adviser Mahfuz Alam termed the upcoming document a “key milestone” in the country’s democratic transition. “It will unify the nation around the core values of the uprising—anti-fascism, democratic resurgence, and state reform,” he said.
The student-led National Citizen Party (NCP), formed by leaders of last year’s protests, is also expected to release its own version of the “July Declaration” on August 3. The idea first surfaced publicly when NCP leader Hasnat Abdullah announced plans for a “Declaration of the July Revolution” on Facebook on December 28, 2024.
In response to the momentum, Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam had promised a government-issued declaration within 15 working days on December 30. The deadline lapsed, but mounting pressure from demonstrators led the Advisory Council to commit in May to finalising it within 30 working days—another deadline that passed without fulfilment. Now, the Yunus-led government appears poised to deliver.
Debate over constitutional status: While the declaration is expected to symbolise national unity and democratic renewal, its potential constitutional status has become a point of political contention. The NCP is demanding that the “July Declaration” be incorporated into the preamble of a new constitution. “We expect a new constitution for Bangladesh,” said Akhtar Hossain, NCP’s Member Secretary. “The July Declaration must be granted constitutional recognition and included under the fundamental principles of state policy.”
The opposition BNP, however, rejects the idea of full incorporation. Party Standing Committee member Salahuddin Ahmed said that acknowledging the spirit of the July Uprising is enough. “Referencing ‘July Uprising 2024’ in Schedule Four would suffice,” he said on July 10. “Even the 1972 Constitution did not include the Declaration of Independence itself.” The announcement of the declaration comes just as debate over its contents and legal status continues to intensify. Further details are expected in the coming days.