National Citizen Party (NCP) convener Nahid Islam on Tuesday said they will not allow the emergence of any new culture of fear in the country.
"Our fear was shattered back in 2024. We will not allow a new culture of fear in the country," he said, urging the people to raise their local problem fearlessly.
Nahid Islam made the remark at a brief rally after the NCP's pre-announced street march in the Gaibandha Municipal Park area.
Referring to the sacrifice of the people of Gaibandha in the July uprising, he said the NCP will forever remember the sacrifice of the people of the district for the second independence of Bangladesh.
Recalling the sacrifice of thousands who were martyred during the uprising for a new Bangladesh and the countless youths who were injured, the NCP Convener said, "They envisioned a Bangladesh free of discrimination, alongside democracy, where the right to protest was fundamental. July taught us the power of protest. We must not retreat from that lesson."
"We have come to the streets with a call to build a new country. We have come to the streets to overthrow Sheikh Hasina in 2024. But our new country has not been built yet," he added.
He went on saying: "We have come to the streets to build that new country. That is why we started with Gaibandha. The people of Gaibandha have been victims ofeconomic discrimination for a long time. We have come to talk about the rights of those whose rights have not yet been realized."
Nahid Islam said NCP talks about the civic rights and dignity of all people regardless of religion or caste.
He further said the martyrdom of Abu Sayeed on July 16 last year (2024) had played a decisive role in the fall of the dictatorship.
"On July 1, 2024, the democratic anti-discrimination student movement began. Thousands of students, youth and public, including Abu Sayeed, joined it. Abu Sayeed embraced martyrdom on July 16 and the movement instantly turned into a mass explosion," he said.
Nahid Islam made this comment at a press briefing after visiting the grave of martyred Abu Sayeed and offering special munajat there in village Babanpur under Pirganj upazila of Rangpur at around 11:15 am on Tuesday.
Nahid Islam said the anti-discrimination movement was at its peak then.
"We were at the Central Shaheed Minar in Dhaka city on July 16. At that time, we heard that Abu Sayeed, a brilliant student of Begum Rokeya University and a frontline student coordinator, had been shot dead by the police," he added.
He said, "Then the whole of Bangladesh erupted in mourning and indomitable protest. Instantly, the movement took a different turn following the martyrdom of Abu Sayeed in Rangpur. Thousands of young students and the public took to the streets against fascism."
As a result, the authoritarian regime of fascist Sheikh Hasina fell, he continued.
He said, "We have announced the July walkathon and it has started today from the sacred land of Pirganj where martyred Abu Sayeed is laying in eternal rest. This July walkathon is a march to build the country."
"We have brought down the authoritarian fascist regime. We have sought the abolition of the authoritarian fascist regime's system. But the enthusiasm that is needed to build the country, we need to work with that passion to build the state," Nahid Islam said.
He said, "Our July walkathon is basically for molding the nation. Through the walkathon, we will go to all 64 districts across the country. We will talk to the people. We will listen to their words and aspirations."
"We will highlight the dreams and aspirations for which martyred Abu Sayeed sacrificed his life. So, we started the walkathon by visiting the grave of martyred Abu Sayeed in his village in Pirganj upazila of Rangpur," he added.
Nahid Islam said the NCP will remain steadfast in materializing the July Declaration and Charter and the delay that has started with the July Declaration will not be tolerated.
"To build a new Bangladesh, we must move towards a new constitution through trial, reform and a Constituent Assembly. We want to warn those who think that thousands of people who came out on the streets have returned home," he said.
He said, "We will go to the wilderness on every road in Bangladesh. We will call on students, youth, and workers to come out on the streets again to materialize the July Declaration and the July Charter, InshaAllah."
NCP member-secretary Akhtar Hossen said the launching of the July walkathon by visiting the grave of the first July Uprising martyred Abu Sayeed aims at materialising the demand for justice, reforms and new constitution for building the country.
"All people know that we have achieved this new Bangladesh at the cost of the lives and blood of thousands of people. Therefore, to build a new Bangladesh, we need to break down the old structure and make fundamental reforms for the new settlement," he said.
He said, "Those who have committed genocides and crimes against humanity in Bangladesh must be brought to justice. At the same time, elections to the People's Council must be organized to cast aside the old constitution and formulate a new one."
He said, "Those who committed genocide and carried out crimes against humanity in Bangladesh must be brought under trial. At the same time, elections for the Constituent Assembly must be organized to repeal the old constitution and draft a new constitution."
"All martyrs like Abu Sayeed are the inspiration for our fight against fascist. For ages, people of Bangladesh will remember with respect all the martyrs and wounded warriors, including Abu Sayeed, Wasim, Mughdo, and others," he said.
NCP southern region chief organizer Hasnat Abdullah, northern region chief organizer Md Sarjis Alam, chief coordinator Nasiruddin Patwari, senior joint coordinator Abdul Hannan Masud, senior joint member-secretary Dr Tasnim Zara and other central leaders were present.
