Dispute Over History Disrupts July Uprising Ceremony in Dhaka
An official event in Dhaka marking the second anniversary of the July Mass Uprising ended in disarray. The Ministry of Liberation War Affairs organized this program on Wednesday. Acting President Hafiz Uddin Ahmad attended as the chief guest.
Leaders of the National Citizen Party (NCP) protested a documentary shown at the event. They said the film did not present the history of the July Movement correctly. An argument started, and NCP leaders then left the venue. Diplomats were also seen leaving the program during the commotion.
Mahin Sarkar, an NCP joint member secretary, wrote about the issues online. He said the documentary showed Prime Minister Tarique Rahman as the announcer of the One-Point demand. Mr. Sarkar noted important figures like Nahid Islam and Asif Mahmud were missing from this version of history. He also claimed he was assaulted for protesting the documentary.
The program moderator repeatedly asked everyone to stay calm. Liberation War Affairs Minister Ahmed Azam Khan then spoke from the stage. He also requested silence and promised to fix any errors in the documentary. However, the audience continued shouting slogans like, “Stop toying with us.”
State Minister for Liberation War Affairs Ishraq Hossain then addressed the crowd. He questioned why people were creating such a disturbance. Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed asked people to speak calmly from the stage. He called Akhter Hossen, an NCP member secretary, to come forward.
Akhter Hossen came onto the stage. He thanked Acting President Hafiz Uddin Ahmad. Mr. Hossen then stated he could not remain at the event. He said the documentary left out important historical facts. These included the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement and the Nine-Point demands. He compared this omission to past attempts to control the history of the Liberation War.
Acting President Hafiz Uddin Ahmad expressed his deep sadness over the disruption. He felt embarrassed in front of the foreign guests. He stated the incident would please a “neighboring country.” The President also criticized the documentary’s mistakes. He said it did not show Abu Sayed, a key figure of the July Revolution. He also noted that Begum Khaleda Zia was not featured.
Earlier, Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed had said the July Mass Uprising belongs to everyone. He urged against any political party claiming it as their own. He stressed that everyone must move beyond such divisions.
