BNP Chairperson Tarique Rahman has pledged to recognise participants of the July movement as “freedom fighters” and to form a separate department under the Ministry of Liberation War Affairs to look after their welfare.
He made the promise on Sunday while speaking at an exchange meeting with families of those killed and individuals injured in the July movement, held at the Krishibid Institution auditorium in the capital’s Khamarbari area.
Referring to the July movement participants as freedom fighters, Tarique Rahman said they too deserve that title. “The freedom fighters of 1971 sacrificed their lives for the country’s independence. In the same way, those who fought in 2024 fought to protect independence and sovereignty,” he said.
He added that just as the war in 1971 was for safeguarding independence and sovereignty, the struggle in 2024 was also waged for the same cause.
Outlining BNP’s commitments, Tarique Rahman said that if the Bangladesh Nationalist Party forms the government with the support of the people, it will take steps to ease the suffering of the families of those martyred in the July movement and those who took part in it. “We cannot bring back those who are lost, but to address the hardships and various needs of these families, we will create a new department under the Ministry of Liberation War Affairs, which will be responsible for taking care of them,” he said.
