Uprising spirit can’t be bought by offering few parliamentary seats: Nahid

Referring to the BNP, National Citizen Party (NCP) Convenor Nahid Islam has strongly criticised what he described as deliberate attempts to undermine the spirit of July Uprising by offering two or three parliamentary seats and promises of power-sharing, instead of committing to state reform.

“They thought they could lure us with two or three parliamentary seats and a share of power. But no political force in Bangladesh has ever had the means to buy out revolutionary forces who have faced death and survived,” the NCP leader said while addressing a rally in Satkhira’s Asif Chattar this afternoon (12 July).

The rally is part of NCP’s ongoing programme ‘Desh Gorte July Padayatra’ (July Walkathon for Building the Nation).

Nahid added, “The NCP has demanded reforms, justice, and a new constitution. Those who want to preserve the old system [extortion and violence] are mistaken if they think they can go back to the same politics after so much sacrifice.

“After a mass uprising and the loss of so many lives, the return to the past will not be easy.”

Nahid further said, “On 5 August, we proposed forming a national government, to rebuild the country by rising above all divisions. But they [BNP] rejected that proposal, insisting instead on elections within three or six months.

“When it came to national reform, we saw no willingness from them, only a fixation on power-sharing. We offered a path for reform, not for election-based deal-making.”

Speaking at the rally, NCP Chief Coordinator (northern region) Sarjis Alam condemned the recent killing of scrap trader Sohag.

“In this very July, while we fight for justice, a parallel regime of extortionists and occupiers is trying to take hold,” he alleged, stating, “People are being crushed with stones, and the perpetrators dance in joy atop corpses. This July, we declare war against all the corrupt and extortionists of Bangladesh.”