July Uprising Equal to French Revolution: Ruhul Kabir Rizvi

BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi has said the July Uprising was no less significant than the French Revolution, calling both struggles for human rights and civil liberties.

Speaking as chief guest at "Bloody July: Remembrance and Conviction," held Sunday at Rajshahi University's Kazi Nazrul Islam Auditorium, Rizvi said young people shed blood in the July movement to secure democracy, civil liberties and freedom of speech just as the French Revolution once did.

Every revolution involves bloodshed, Rizvi said, but the scale seen during the month-long July movement was rare in world history. Bodies of young people lay across villages and cities nationwide, with school, college and university students bearing the brunt of state repression.

Yet the movement also showed remarkable humanity, he said. Friends risked their lives to save the wounded and protesters rushed forward with water for the injured. While such scenes have occurred in revolutions elsewhere, Rizvi said, Bangladeshis witnessed them firsthand during July.

He added that law enforcement fired indiscriminately from all directions but failed to crush the movement as students kept marching despite the risk of death.

Rajshahi University Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Md Faridul Islam delivered the keynote speech. Chhatra Dal General Secretary Nasir Uddin Nasir spoke as the main discussant.

Pro-Vice Chancellors Prof Dr Abdul Alim (Administration) and Prof Dr Mamunur Rashid Mamun (Education) attended as special guests.

RU Chhatra Dal President Sultan Ahmed Rahi chaired the event, with General Secretary Sardar Zahurul Islam conducting the proceedings.