On the first anniversary of the 2024 mass uprising that toppled Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Bangladesh’s interim leader Muhammad Yunus delivered the ‘July Declaration‘, a sweeping statement of intent aimed at restructuring the country’s political framework.
The speech, given on August 5, 2025, at the National Parliament’s South Plaza, marks a significant moment in the country’s post-crisis evolution.
The declaration traces the uprising’s origins to long-standing dissatisfaction with authoritarianism, inequality and electoral manipulation. It identifies the 2024 student-led protests, triggered by discontent over public sector quotas, as the catalyst for a broader societal revolt.
According to the document, the protests garnered mass support and led to Hasina’s resignation after the military signaled non-interference.
The declaration does not hold back in its critique. It accuses the previous administration of state capture, describing the regime as anti-democratic and “mafia-like.” The text alleges systemic abuses, ranging from political persecution to economic exploitation, and claims the former government undermined national sovereignty by yielding to foreign influence.
The declaration affirms the legitimacy of the interim government, stating it was established under constitutional provisions and with legal validation from the Supreme Court. It outlines plans for governance reform, legal accountability and democratic transition, emphasizing the need for free elections and institutional rebuilding.
Perhaps most notably, the declaration seeks to enshrine the uprising within the national consciousness by proposing its inclusion in a future constitutional framework.
While symbolically powerful, the success of these initiatives will depend on political buy-in, both domestically and internationally. For now, the declaration positions Bangladesh at a critical juncture, between rupture and reform, with its democratic trajectory hanging in the balance.
Shongjog 