Prime Minister Tarek Rahman has said that the July–August movement was a people’s movement and that it succeeded because the people wanted change. He stressed that the success of the movement belongs to the people of Bangladesh, not to any individual or a single political party.

He made the remarks on Tuesday (August 4) while addressing a discussion titled “Seventeen Years of Relentless Struggle for Democracy and the Bloody July Uprising” at the Krishibid Institution Bangladesh (KIB) auditorium in the capital.

“The movement that took place in Bangladesh during July and August was entirely a people’s movement. It succeeded because the people wanted change. The movement became successful only when people from all walks of life fully participated in it,” the Prime Minister said.

He added, “We have made it clear that the credit for the success of the July movement belongs to the people of this country. It is not the achievement of any individual or any single political party.”

Tarek Rahman said that for the past 17 years, the people of Bangladesh, leaders and activists of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), and several other pro-democracy political parties had remained actively involved in the movement against what he described as fascism.

“We never abandoned the field. We never left the people alone during the movement,” he said.

Referring to the country’s current political situation, the Prime Minister said the time has now come to rebuild the nation and urged all political parties to exercise patience, restraint, and unity.

“A lot has been said, many movements and struggles have taken place, and there have been debates and disagreements. Now is the time to rebuild the country and move it forward. We must remain vigilant against those who seek to create conspiracies, make the people aware of such attempts, and gradually implement the plans we have presented to rebuild the nation and fulfill the expectations of the people,” he said.