Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus reaffirmed Bangladesh’s commitment to democracy, human rights, and institutional reforms during an address marking the first anniversary of the July Uprising.
Speaking at the UN Event on the July Uprising and Fact-Finding Report at Hotel Intercontinental in Dhaka, Yunus hailed the courage of the Bangladeshi people who “stood up against tyranny and reclaimed the dignity and future of our country.”
“Their courage spoke not only for our people, but for humanity,” Yunus said, paying tribute to the largely youth-led movement that toppled the previous regime.
Acknowledging the international community’s role, Yunus praised the United Nations for its historical support– from Bangladesh’s Liberation War in 1971 to the Rohingya crisis, and again during the tumultuous events of July and August 2024.
Referring to the UN Fact-Finding Report on last year’s crackdown, Yunus said the findings were “staggering,” citing an estimated 1,400 lives lost in weeks of state-led violence.
“The report described the violence as systematic, directed, and coordinated from the highest levels of the previous regime,” he noted, adding that it raised concerns of potential crimes against humanity.
Yunus announced a series of government actions to implement the report’s recommendations, including amendments to the Code of Criminal Procedure, Bangladesh’s accession to the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance, and a new Memorandum of Understanding with the OHCHR to establish a facilitating mission in Dhaka for technical and institutional support.
“Justice is not only about punishment,” Yunus emphasised. “It is also about ensuring that state power can never again be used to suppress, silence, or destroy its own people.”
He underscored the interim government’s focus on legal accountability and building a “broad national consensus” for “inclusive, participatory, and credible elections.”
Yunus also extended gratitude to UN Secretary-General António Guterres, High Commissioner Volker Türk, and other UN officials for their “extraordinary and historical contributions” to Bangladesh’s democratic transition.
He honoured the sacrifices of those killed in the uprising: “Their sacrifice paved the way for a new chapter in our history. They created a new Bangladesh, one rooted in hope, human rights, and democratic renewal.”
