India must acknowledge July Uprising, embrace realities: Mahfuj

Mahfuj Alam, one of the key organisers of the student-led July Uprising that led to the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s government and her subsequent flight to India, has accused the Indian establishment of attempting to misrepresent the historic event.

In a statement posted on his verified Facebook page, Mahfuj, now an adviser in the interim cabinet without a portfolio, criticised efforts to portray the uprising as militant, anti-Hindu, or an Islamist movement.

"Their propaganda and provocation are failing. The Bangladeshi people are now enjoying democratic rights without any ifs or buts after nearly two decades! Truth has prevailed... falsehood will be doomed forever," he declared.

Mahfuj urged India to formally acknowledge the July Uprising and the democratic struggle of the Bangladeshi people.

"India should recognise unequivocally the July Uprising and the student-people's democratic struggle in Bangladesh. Ignoring it will harm the foundation of relations between the two countries," he warned.

He also criticised local Indian allies, branding them as “Indophiles” who mistakenly believe the situation will normalise without addressing the uprising or the atrocities of the past regime.

"It's a wrong idea. People are watching everything!" he cautioned.

Mahfuj called on India to abandon its post-'75 approach to Bangladesh, emphasising the transformation in the country’s political landscape.

"This is not a post-'75-like situation. The July Uprising was a democratic, generational, and responsible struggle that will endure. Unlike before, Bangladeshi people are united and dignified. They will fight for their dignity till death," he said.

He highlighted the growing spirit of unity among the people of Bangladesh, embodied in slogans like “Delhi or Dhaka, Dhaka, Dhaka!” and “Motherland or Shahadat!”

"These slogans are echoing across the country, uniting Bangladesh as one. India should not make this unified, dignified, and democratic Bangladesh its enemy," he warned.

Concluding his post, Mahfuj emphasised the determination of the Bangladeshi people to uphold their newfound unity and dignity.

"Post-'71, we failed as a polity, but not this time!" he asserted, signaling the dawn of a resilient and self-assured Bangladesh.