BNP laid the foundation for the July Uprising: Annie
Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Annie
Water Resources Adviser and BNP Joint Secretary General Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Annie said the foundation for the July Uprising was not built in a single day, adding that the BNP had laid that foundation over the past 17 years.
He made the remarks Tuesday afternoon while speaking as the chief guest at a discussion held at the National Press Club auditorium. The discussion, titled Unity, Not Division, for Building a Just and Discrimination Free Society, was organized by an organization called Amra Bangladeshi.
Annie said, “Where was today’s opposition party during the July movement? Where were they over the past 17 years? These are questions that need to be asked. We formed alliances and carried out joint movements. After Aug. 5, they are now saying that the opposition party alone carried out the movement! It is undeniable that an uprising needs a foundation. That foundation was the BNP’s 17 year long movement.”
He added, “Not everyone from the Awami League fled. Not everyone’s case is the same. The opposition party is saying in Parliament that they will take the good Awami League members with them. That is where division begins. Before the election, we heard that many of them had become owners of huge amounts of money. Money was recovered from the personal secretary or assistant of some of them. We have spoken with those who led the movement of ordinary students in the past.”
Annie speaking at the event
Criticizing the opposition party, the adviser said, “Let us leave aside 1971 for today. But from the Ershad dictatorship in 1986 to the movement against Awami fascism, which movement were they part of? They thought they would come to power this time. In reality, Delhi is still a long way off. However, they won a few seats. In some constituencies, the BNP had internal problems. There was more than one candidate. That is why they performed well. In many constituencies, we were also weak in the expatriate vote. The expatriate vote was influenced. We must start monitoring these constituencies now so that fresh elections can be held there.”
He said, “We struggled for 17 years. People have demands and expectations. They want a normal life. The government has been in office for only five months. We cannot say we have solved very much. However, the Prime Minister is trying. He has taken several programs. I hope that if we all support him, there will be no shortages in the country.”
At the event, BNP Joint Secretary General Annie also spoke about what he described as excessive torture by Detective Branch police against opposition leaders and activists during the tenure of the previous fascist Awami League government.
The discussion was chaired by Amra Bangladeshi Coordinator Syed Ehsanul Huda and moderated by Executive Member Tamiz Uddin Titu. Among others, speeches were delivered by Shahadat Hossain Selim, Member of Parliament from Lakshmipur 1 constituency, Prime Minister’s Political Assistant Rashed Khan, BNP Executive Committee Member Abu Naser Muhammad Rahmatullah, Bangladesh Kalyan Party Chairman Shamsuddin Parvez of the 12 Party Alliance, Jamiat Ulema e Islam Bangladesh Secretary General Maulana Mohiuddin Ikram, BNP leader Mominul Amin, and Aminul Islam of the United Labor Party.
