Anti-Discrimination Students Movement wants ‘Mujibist’ constitution buried, to declare ‘Proclamation of July Uprising’

Dhaka: The Anti-Discrimination Students Movement on Sunday announced to issue a belated Proclamation of July Uprising that seeks to “bury” Bangladesh’s 1972 constitution calling it a “Mujibist” charter that had paved way for “India’s aggression.”

The interim government of Muhammad Yunus visibly distanced itself from the “Proclamation” while former prime minister Khaleda Zia’s party said it was disappointed and added, if there is anything bad in the Constitution, it can be amended.

The platform’s convener Hasnat Abdullah told a press conference, “The Mujibist '72 constitution will be buried (in the new proclamation) in the very place where the one-point declaration was made during the July uprising.” He said the Proclamation would be made at Central Shaheed Minar premises on December 31 in the afternoon.

Weeks of protests led by the students’ movement over a controversial quota system in government jobs had escalated into a nationwide campaign calling for the end of the 16-year regime of Sheikh Hasina, 77, resulting in her ouster on August 5.

“The Indian aggression was initiated through the principles of the 1972 Constitution (and) the proclamation will make it clear how the Mujibist Constitution destroyed the aspirations of the people and exactly how we want to replace it,” Abdullah said.

The Constitution was framed a year after independent Bangladesh was born by the representatives elected in the 1970 election in line with their mandate as “constitute assembly” members. Awami League, under Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, had gained an absolute majority, with the party winning 160 of the 162 general seats and all seven women's seats in what was then East Pakistan.

But Pakistan’s then military under General Yahya Khan eventually launched a sudden army crackdown leading to the Liberation War of 1971 and birth of independent Bangladesh.

Sunday’s press conference was told the students’ platform along with the National Citizens' Committee will present the Proclamation, which is expected to declare “irrelevant” the deposed prime minister’s “Nazi-like Awami League” in Bangladesh as well.

Anti-Discrimination Students Movement leader and chief organiser of the National Citizens' Committee Sarjis Alam told the press conference that the “July uprising proclamation should have been declared earlier.” “Just as we believe all anti-fascists embraced our revolution, this proclamation will also contain everyone's hopes and aspirations. … We have crossed only one stage of the revolution,” Alam said.

The students’ platform and different political groups, including former prime minister Khaleda Zia’s Bangladesh Nationalists Party (BNP), often dub Haina’s ousted regime as “fascist.” Visibly distancing itself from the “Proclamation,” the interim government of Muhammad Yunus said it has nothing to do with it. Yunus’ press secretary Shafiqul Alam said, "The government has nothing to do with it" and wants to see it (Proclamation) as a "private initiative." Awami League, Hasina’s party, is not seen in the public sphere since August 5 as many of its leaders are arrested or are on the run at home and abroad. Their activities are limited to social media platforms occasionally.

The BNP sharply reacted to the proposal with its highest policymaking standing committee member Mirza Abbas saying the constitution was written in 1972 at the cost of the blood of three million martyrs.

“As your seniors, we feel disappointed when you (Student Movement leaders) say the Constitution should be buried. If there is anything bad in the constitution, it can be amended,” he told reporters.

“When you (student leaders) say things like this, it sounds ‘fascist’ as fascists used to say, ‘we will bury them, kill them, and cut them off’,” Abbas said.