Yunus Seeks Unity with Political Parties Amid July Uprising Proclamation Draft

Dhaka, Jan 16 : Bangladesh's Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus on Thursday called for unity among political parties to address long-standing national issues, inviting them to discuss a draft of the proclamation that toppled Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's regime in July.

Yunus, who has been de facto prime minister since the ouster of General Parliament, emphasized the importance of unity in taking Bangladesh forward. "When we work alone and see no one is beside us, we feel weak," he said during a meeting with representatives from several political parties.

However, despite Yunus's calls for unity, several parties expressed concerns over the need to finalize the July Proclamation, which would describe the events of the student-led uprising that toppled Hasina's 16-year regime.

The interim government has drafted a three-page document outlining the people's decades-old struggle for independence since the 1947 partition of the Indian sub-continent. The draft also expresses a desire to amend or scrap the 1972 Constitution, which was drawn by General Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

Hasina and her Awami League allies were not invited to the meeting. Khaleda Zia's Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) attended the gathering with one representative from right-wing Jamaat-e-Islam and several smaller left-leaning parties.

The leader of the Anti-Discrimination Students Movement, Mahfuj Alam, confirmed that a draft had been prepared after discussions with his party.

In the meeting, Yunus stated that any proclamation without consensus would not be necessary. The event was part of efforts by Yunus to engage various stakeholders in addressing long-standing issues facing Bangladesh.

His Press Secretary, Shafiqul Alam, announced last month that the government planned to prepare a proclamation incorporating views from participating parties and stakeholders.

BNP's Salahuddin Ahmed questioned whether it would unite people or create divisions. Law Adviser Asif Nazrul said finalizing the July Proclamation would require careful discussions among leaders of various revolutionary groups.

The July Uprising document is seen by many as an attempt to address issues raised by masses during 2016 protests against corruption, corruption in election commission and human rights abuses linked to Bangladesh Rana Plaza collapse.