July uprising victims seek constitutional recognition and protect

Families of those killed and injured in the July mass uprising have called for the movement to be enshrined in the Constitution, for its fighters to be afforded full legal protection and for the swift conclusion of trials over alleged crimes against humanity, at a meeting of the parliamentary special committee on constitutional reform.

The demands were voiced at the committee's sixth meeting, held at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban on Tuesday and attended by 63 representatives of martyrs' families and injured July fighters. They urged constitutional recognition of the July Declaration and the July National Charter, as well as state accountability for those killed or maimed during the anti-authoritarian movement. Committee Chairman and Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed said the existing law protecting July fighters had already been elevated from an ordinance to an Act; nevertheless, the committee is considering enshrining their protection and immunity in a dedicated constitutional schedule, thereby providing stronger safeguards against future legal harassment. Participants additionally proposed restoring the caretaker government system, reforming the judiciary and the Election Commission, and requiring referendums on major constitutional amendments.

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Meanwhile, attendees pressed the government to expedite the trials of those accused of crimes against humanity, genocide and brutal killings during the uprising, including former prime minister Sheikh Hasina. Salahuddin affirmed the government's commitment to hastening the proceedings, while stressing that cases before the International Crimes Tribunal were advancing independently under the law. Furthermore, he said the government was closely monitoring cases filed under the Penal Code to ensure their timely resolution. He also emphasised that, although marches are a democratic right, constitutional amendments cannot be secured through street programmes alone and must follow established parliamentary and democratic procedures.