Dhaka: Former adviser and frontline leader of the July Uprising, Mahfuj Alam, has firmly rejected any attempts to compare last year’s student-led mass upsurge to the 1971 Liberation War, describing the uprising as a continuation of the long-standing struggle of the people dating back to the colonial era.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Alam, who resigned from the government just before the announcement of the election schedule, emphasized in an interview ahead of Victory Day that the July 2024 revolution should not be isolated from previous historical struggles. He stressed that every significant movement from the 1947 partition to the 2024 uprising represents the collective effort of the Bangladeshi people to protect their dignity, democracy, language, culture, and identity.
Alam argued against the notion that the 1971 Liberation War stands in opposition to subsequent movements, labeling such ideas as historically inaccurate. He reiterated that each generation from the 1947 partition, the 1952 Language Movement, the 1969 mass uprising, the 1971 Liberation War, to the 1990 mass upsurge, contributed to the common goal of securing freedom, dignity, and rights for the people of Bangladesh.
He highlighted that the struggle against internal colonialism within the Pakistani framework from 1947 to 1971, and later against Indian expansionism and dominance, are all part of the same ongoing fight for the dignity of Bangladeshis. Alam paid tribute to the martyrs of the Liberation War, emphasizing that the sacrifices made by individuals across different eras are united by a shared purpose and a common identity.