July victory belongs to people, not any individual or party: Jamaat ameer

Leader of the opposition in parliament and Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Shafiqur Rahman said on Friday that the 2024 July uprising and its victory belonged to the people, not to any individual or political party.

He made the remarks as the chief guest at the triennial national conference of the Bangladesh Transport Workers Federation at the Jatiya Press Club in Dhaka.

The federation’s central president, Kabir Ahmad, presided over the event, moderated by SM Atikur Rahman.

Recalling the events of July 2024, Shafiqur Rahman said the then government decided on 31 July to ban the Jamaat-e-Islami and implemented the decision the following day.

The Jamaat responded by calling on people to resist the dictatorship, he said, adding, "Alhamdulillah, within three days of our collective call, they were forced to flee the country."

Referring to the sacrifices of workers during the July uprising, he said UN statistics showed that workers constituted the largest group among the 1,400 people killed, followed by students and ordinary citizens.

"Workers did not fight for quotas; they fought against discrimination. They wanted to live with dignity and support their families honorably." 

On the federation's 12-point demands, he said it was unfortunate that workers still had to struggle for rights that should have been guaranteed.

He urged the government to properly honour the families of those killed and injured in the July uprising.

Delegates from across the country attended the conference, where a 51-member central committee was formed.

Jamaat Assistant Secretary General Rafiqul Islam Khan and Labour Welfare Federation Central President Atikur Rahman attended the event as special guests.