BNP Standing Committee member Salahuddin Ahmed has alleged that the National Citizen Party (NCP) partially edited his remarks about the “July Warriors” made in connection with the signing ceremony of the July Charter.
Speaking at a press conference at the BNP Chairperson’s office in Gulshan on Sunday (October 19), Salahuddin said,
“Tell me, has any political party said it does not want the election in February? Everyone has agreed that the election should be held in February—preferably in the first half. So why should there be any confusion? Some parties are staging movements demanding proportional representation (PR); that is part of democratic practice. We have sacrificed our lives for such democratic practices.”
Referring to the controversy surrounding his earlier statement, Salahuddin said a political party had misinterpreted his comments and called on him to apologize.
“I welcome such political responses,” he said. “This is how politics should be conducted—with mutual respect and democratic spirit. They expressed their position respectfully, and I appreciate that.”
Clarifying his previous remarks, Salahuddin said,
“In response to journalists’ questions about the clashes prior to the July Charter signing event, I mentioned that a group named July Warriors had spoken both with us and with the Consensus Commission. They had some logical demands, and I supported them in a social media post. Professor Ali Riaz, Vice President of the Consensus Commission, also addressed the issue accurately and clarified it publicly. Therefore, there should not have been any dissatisfaction from their side.”
He added that after investigating the incidents of violence, it was found that some unruly elements had infiltrated under the banner of July Warriors.
“From the interviews I saw, some of them were not genuine students but disorderly elements. I believe they were backed by the fascist forces of the Awami regime, which continues to provoke unrest in various ways. No genuine July Warrior or any organization or individual associated with the July Uprising could have been involved in such incidents. That was my clear statement,” he emphasized.
Salahuddin further said,
“Through my remarks, I actually sought to honor those involved in the July Uprising, ensuring that no one mistakenly accuses them of disorderly conduct or tarnishes their reputation. I do not believe my statement was distorted, but I think NCP spoke after cutting out part of it. In the final line of my statement, I clearly said that no genuine July Warrior or organization connected to the July Uprising could have been involved in those chaotic incidents.”
When asked about the recent fire incidents reported in several key locations across the country, Salahuddin said,
“I think it’s too early to comment, as investigations are still underway. The government has reportedly formed a probe team—let’s wait for their findings. However, I suspect some of these incidents may be linked, possibly orchestrated by groups trying to destabilize the country. The remnants and collaborators of the fallen fascist regime might be involved, but we cannot say for sure until the investigation is complete.”