'Not a Single Letter of the July Charter Has Been Implemented' — AB Party Accuses Government of Betrayal at Press Club Discussion

Not a single letter of the July Charter has been implemented, Amar Bangladesh Party (AB Party) chairman Mojibur Rahman Manju has alleged. He said the public wants an account of why the present government is not honouring the referendum verdict on implementing the July Charter.

Manju made the remarks in his chair's speech at a discussion with distinguished citizens titled 'A Year On, the July Charter: Promise versus Reality', held at the Tofazzal Hossain Manik Mia Hall of the National Press Club on Wednesday (28 October).

Manju said that if the referendum verdict is not implemented, the government will one day have to face political and legal trial on charges of betraying the people.

He also said the Liberation War had taken place as a consequence of denying the people's verdict in the 1970 election. If the referendum verdict is not implemented, the present government too could become a negative figure in history like Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Yahya Khan, he said. In his words, this time the charter will be prepared first and the mass uprising will follow; the next mass uprising will be built on that reality.

Manju said they did not know in what language criticism should be made, or what kind of programme should be announced, so that leaders and activists of the ruling party would not become angry, would not abuse them, would not move to attack them or think of putting them in a 'crossfire'. He asked anyone who knew of such a language and programme to tell them, so that their protest would not look like a soft opposition and their role and political position as an effective opposition party would not be called into question.

Criticising the government, Manju said an answer must be given as to why, when people are arrested on charges of insulting the prime minister or the government, no action is taken on the same kind of charges against others. He also alleged that various steps, including allocations, were being taken to influence local government elections.

Political scientist Professor Dr Dilara Chowdhury spoke at the meeting as an invited guest. She said the government was walking in the opposite direction and a tendency to curb freedom of speech was visible. She also questioned the justification for filing a case against Major Aktaruzzaman on state-related charges.

Dilara Chowdhury said a Constitution Amendment Committee had been formed instead of a Constitution Reform Council. In parliament, both the government and the opposition are part of the government, she said, adding that the opposition could not play an effective role for fear that a tough stance would make the government more aggressive. Criticising the IGP's remarks, she said the home minister was also defending them. Criticising the proposal to set the upper house term at six years, she said such an arrangement could create a risk of future caretaker governments becoming partisan, which would obstruct free and fair elections.

Mashrur Fahim, organiser of Voice of Reform, said the country's current political situation was like 'a monkey climbing a greased bamboo pole'. Describing the July mass uprising as a people's war in which the people were victorious, he said there should be no fresh debate over settled matters such as the caretaker government system and cyber security, and the focus should move towards implementation.

Mashrur Fahim said arrests were already taking place over comments on social media even before the cyber law was enacted, and the situation could worsen once the law takes effect. He also said the government was crossing the line and moving towards fascism. Reforms such as the independence of the PSC, the ACC and the judiciary are needed in the interest of ordinary people, he noted.

AB Party general secretary Barrister Asaduzzaman Fuad said that whenever the July Charter is raised, the ruling party side says the people do not understand the July Charter, whereas the people want justice and reform. He said that even if the government wished, it could not permit any law enforcement agency to carry out extrajudicial killings or 'crossfire'. Past crossfire and enforced disappearance incidents had deeply wounded the people of the country, and the July Charter was needed precisely to prevent a recurrence and ensure accountability in state institutions, he said. He also expressed concern that the trial process for the July killings was weakening.

Fuad said party men had been appointed to constitutional and statutory institutions. Implementing the July Charter is essential to rescue the collapsed education system, ensure the independence of the judiciary and guarantee state reform, he said. The caretaker government system is a settled matter and no fresh debate should be created over it, he added.

NCP joint convener Sarwar Tushar said arrests over social media comments were creating concern about freedom of expression. He alleged that a fresh debate was being created over the caretaker government system, raising fears of a repeat of past political crises. The political crisis created in the past over raising judges' retirement age had consequences borne not only by political parties but by the whole nation, he said. He also said there was an inconsistency between the BNP's statements and its actual position on the July Charter, and warned that any ill motive regarding the caretaker government system would not succeed.

Human rights activist and columnist Amatullah Rubi said political parties had pledged to implement the July Charter to the letter. The people gave a verdict in favour of reform in the referendum, and ignoring that verdict would go against democratic aspirations, she said. Political uncertainty and the absence of effective reform play an important role behind the economic crisis and reluctance to invest, she said, adding that economic progress is not possible without meaningful reform and that an election without reform would push the country further back.

Also speaking at the meeting were AB Juba Party member secretary Hadiuzzaman Khokon, Chhatra Paksha president Mohammad Prince and Dhaka Metropolitan South AB Party convener Abdul Halim Khokon. Leaders of the party at various levels were present, including Swecchasebak Party convener Kefayet Hossain Tanvir, Dhaka Metropolitan South member secretary Barkaz Nasir Ahmad and Chhatra Paksha general secretary Rafiur Rahman Fattah.