NCP’s Akhtar Walks Out of July Commemoration over alleged attack

National Citizens Party (NCP) Secretary General Akhtar Hossain walked out of a state banquet marking the second anniversary of the July uprising, alleging that participants in the July movement were being assaulted and humiliated across the country.

He made the announcement on Wednesday, August 5, during a discussion and reception for the families of July martyrs and participants at the China Friendship Conference Center in the capital. After delivering his remarks, he quietly left the venue, saying he did so out of respect for the President.

Akhtar alleged that Mahin Sarkar, an organiser of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, had been forced to leave the programme. He also claimed that Mahin Sarkar, Rifat Rashid, Abdul Kader and Abdul Hannan Masud, who played key roles during critical phases of the movement, had been subjected to harassment.

He further alleged that NCP members and activists from other groups were attacked by ruling party supporters and driven away from state-sponsored July commemoration programmes in various districts and educational institutions.

“As one of the July revolutionaries and a representative of my party, I want this state-organised event to succeed,” Akhtar said. “However, after my fellow revolutionaries were attacked and humiliated, I cannot remain here.”

He urged the authorities not to turn the state ceremony into a political event, saying, “We are here for a state ceremony, not a party event.” According to him, the state had a responsibility to include all participants in the July movement, but that had not happened.

The NCP leader also criticised the documentary screened at the event, saying it failed to recognise the central role of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement. He said key milestones, including the historic nine-point charter, the one-point programme announced on August 3 at the Central Shaheed Minar, and the quota reform movement, were omitted.

Akhtar said the July uprising was not the achievement of any single party or organisation. He said its success was made possible by people from diverse backgrounds, including the BNP, Jamaat, communist organisations, the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, private university students, madrasa students and workers. Therefore, the state-sponsored programme should have reflected that collective history.

He alleged that the history of the July uprising was being presented in a partisan manner and warned that excluding July participants would distort the historical record. Calling the omissions deliberate rather than accidental, he nevertheless welcomed the apology from the minister responsible for the event, who promised corrective measures in the future.

Concluding his remarks, Akhtar reiterated his respect for the President, saying, “I respect the position the President has taken in the interest of Bangladesh. While preserving that respect, I am quietly leaving this event.”