The July Declaration is a Shameless Attempt to Deliberately Distort History: Anis Alamgir

Khabor Wala Desk

Published: 7th August 2025, 11:55 AM

The July Declaration is a Shameless Attempt to Deliberately Distort History: Anis Alamgir

Photo: Collected

Veteran journalist Anis Alamgir has strongly criticised Dr Muhammad Yunus, accusing him of deliberately distorting Bangladesh’s history through the “July Declaration” — a recent political statement that has stirred wide debate. According to Alamgir, the document echoes BNP’s long-held narrative, particularly its emphasis on 7 November, while conveniently omitting pivotal events, such as the brutal assassination of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on 15 August 1975.

In a detailed post on his personal Facebook page, Alamgir asserted:

“Dr Yunus has referenced 7 November as demanded by the BNP, but offers no context — no explanation of its origins or historical background.”

Omission of the Nation’s Most Tragic Chapter

Alamgir lambasted the July Declaration for completely ignoring one of the darkest chapters in Bangladesh’s history:

“The so-called July Declaration makes passing reference to alleged Awami League repression post-1972, and then suddenly jumps to 7 November 1975 — as if the blood-soaked events of 15 August, the military coup, and the assassination of the Father of the Nation never occurred.”

“It gives the impression that Sheikh Mujibur Rahman never existed in this land.”

Alamgir emphasised that such omission is not a mere oversight, but a conscious and shameless distortion of historical truth:

“Deliberately sidestepping the truth in this manner is an appalling betrayal of our national history.

False Portrayal of National Struggle

Anis Alamgir argued that Dr Yunus’s portrayal of the country’s past suggests Bangladesh’s liberation struggle began abruptly on 26 March, with no continuity or context prior to that:

“Listening to the July Declaration gives one the impression that the Liberation War began overnight, and that the nation has made no progress in 54 years. The narrative implies that only Dr Yunus has arrived to rescue the nation from darkness.”

He likened the exclusion of Sheikh Mujib from such a historical framework to literary absurdity:“It’s like writing Shakespeare’s ‘Hamlet’ without the Prince of Denmark. One cannot write the history of Bangladesh’s Liberation War — or create a declaration like this — by excluding Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Any such attempt is bound to be unsustainable.”

Criticisms by Anis Alamgir on the July Declaration

Point of Criticism	Explanation
Omission of 15 August 1975	No mention of Bangabandhu’s assassination or the coup that followed.
Inclusion of 7 November per BNP narrative	Reflected BNP’s political stance without historical context.
Distortion of Liberation War timeline	Implied that Bangladesh’s journey started on 26 March, erasing earlier struggles and milestones.
Exclusion of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman	Deemed equivalent to betrayal; essential figure in the nation’s founding omitted.
Unrealistic tone of Yunus’s leadership	Suggests he alone is the nation’s saviour while undermining sacrifices made by others.
Disrespect to July Martyrs	Declared that current ‘July Heroes’ often dishonour the martyrs who died resisting authoritarianism.

On the Failure of the July Movement

Alamgir pointed to Dr Yunus’s “incompetent leadership” and “detached political imagination” as the primary reasons why the so-called “July Uprising” failed to produce the results its proponents desired:

“Those who today parade as ‘July Heroes’ often act in ways that show disrespect towards the July Martyrs — those who sacrificed their lives fighting against Sheikh Hasina’s authoritarian rule.”

Final Observations

Anis Alamgir concluded by reiterating that the July Declaration may find its way into future constitutional reforms, but without public endorsement, it will remain a hollow document devoid of national legitimacy:

“Without the people’s consent, it will be nothing more than an empty string of words.”Top of Form