Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday afternoon at the party’s temporary office in Banglamotor in the capital, NCP Member Secretary Akhtar Hossain delivered the party’s official response.

“The long-anticipated July Declaration has finally been announced, and we appreciate the government’s initiative,” said Akhtar. “However, we believe that had certain crucial elements been included, the declaration would have been more complete and reflective of the people’s movement.”

He noted that while the declaration refers to the broader anti-colonial struggle, it omits mention of the events of 1947, a pivotal moment in regional history.

Akhtar also questioned the accuracy of the martyr count cited in the document:

“It mentions ‘approximately 1,000’ martyrs, but the United Nations reports that 1,400 people were killed. This discrepancy indicates the government has failed, over the past year, to properly determine the number of martyrs and the injured.”

He further argued that the declaration would have held greater historical weight had it acknowledged several important people-led movements, including the Shapla Square massacre, instances of judicial killings, the anti-VAT student movement, the 2018 quota reform protests, the Safe Roads movement, and the anti-Modi protests

“These movements reflect the voice of the people and deserve recognition in a document claiming to represent a nationwide uprising,” Akhtar stated.

Referring to points 25 and 27 in the declaration, which propose that a future elected government should enshrine the declaration in the constitutional schedule, Akhtar reaffirmed NCP’s call for systemic reform:

“We have long called for a new constitution, drafted through elections to a Constituent Assembly. This remains one of our central demands.”

He also urged that the July Charter begin implementation during the interim government’s term, and called for the use of a Legal Framework Order (LFO) to give it enforceable status.

“To ensure the July Declaration leads to meaningful change, it must serve as the legal and political foundation for the upcoming national elections,” he added.

Also present at the press conference were NCP Joint Conveners Javed Rasin and Ariful Islam Adib, along with Joint Member Secretaries Saleh Uddin Sifat, Mushfiq-us-Salehin, and Faridul Haque.