No National Unity Without Implementing Referendum Verdict and July Charter, Eminent Citizens Warn at Roundtable
Eight months have passed since the people's verdict in the referendum, yet there is no visible progress in implementing the July Charter. Eminent citizens of the country have expressed deep frustration over this, warning that without implementing the referendum verdict and the July Charter, carrying out state reforms and ensuring justice for human rights violations including enforced disappearances and killings, no sustainable national unity can be built in the country.
They made the remarks at a roundtable held on Saturday (24 October) at the Tofazzal Hossain Manik Mia Hall of the National Press Club in the capital. The discussion, titled 'National Unity: The Way Forward', was organised by VPSSC. Political scientists, academics, former diplomats, retired military officers, former government officials, lawyers and freedom fighters took part, turning the event into a significant national-level discussion with representatives from many walks of society.
The speakers said that during the long 16 years of anti-fascist movement, no effective national unity was built among the political parties. In their view, this is one of the biggest failures in the country's political history. To honour the sacrifice of the martyrs of July, the aspirations of the mass uprising must be realised, they said.
The sharpest question at the meeting came from Professor Dilara Chowdhury. 'Why has justice stalled?' she asked. 'Those who will not deliver justice — we will assume they too will carry out enforced disappearances.' Her remark reflected intense anger at the prolonged delay in trying disappearances and killings.
Dilara Chowdhury said, 'Even after so many disappearances, killings and human rights violations, the justice process has not gained momentum, which is regrettable. The aspirations behind the sacrifice of July have still not been realised.' She alleged that the BNP, instead of implementing the referendum verdict, is carrying out one public-alienating activity after another and is not giving importance to the people's mandate.
She added, 'There is dilly-dallying over the July Charter. To establish national unity, the referendum verdict and the July Charter must be implemented.' This demand returned again and again in the discussion — delay in implementing the charter amounts to disregard for the people's verdict.
Lawyer Abu Hena Razzaki raised an emotional question: 'How much more blood will our boys have to shed?' He said, 'It is sad that even after so much blood, the country has not changed. If the nation is betrayed again and again, the nation will not forgive.' In his view, people took to the streets in July not at the call of any political party but out of their own rights and aspirations. He alleged that the government is not sincere about realising those aspirations.
Former diplomat Sakib Ali said, 'If the BNP ran the country well, the question of national unity would not have come up at all.' He also remarked that there was no national unity even during Ziaur Rahman's rule — framing the unity crisis as a long-standing structural problem.
Professor Naima Moazzem said, 'Corruption is one of the country's biggest problems. Effective steps must be taken to prevent it, regardless of party or opinion.' Noting that the people have no security, she demanded structural reform of the state, taking the reform question beyond political compromise towards institutional change.
The meeting was chaired by VPSSC chairman, retired Lieutenant General Abdullahil Aman Azmi, who was himself a victim of enforced disappearance. In a case over a disappearance incident, he testified in court in April this year and faced cross-examination by defence lawyers — so for him, the demand for justice is not merely a political statement but also a matter of personal experience.
In his chair's remarks, Azmi said, 'Political division and mutual distrust must be removed and everyone must unite in the national interest. Everyone must stand united against hegemonic forces.' In his view, national unity is not just a matter of temporary compromise among parties; it is a precondition for establishing a democratic, accountable and justice-based state. He called on political parties, civil society and responsible figures of the state to work together, learning from past failures.
Former deputy foreign minister Abul Hasan Chowdhury urged mutual understanding among political parties and prioritising the national interest. Former Dhaka University vice-chancellor Professor Niaz Ahmad Khan said, 'To make the democratic transition sustainable, intellectual dialogue, mutual trust and respect for differing opinions are essential.' Notably, he resigned as vice-chancellor on 22 February, five days after the new government took office. Former secretary Mohammad Mia stressed bringing the administration under accountability and making state institutions effective.
Taken together, the message of the roundtable was singular — without respect for the referendum verdict, swift implementation of the July Charter, reforms and justice for human rights violations, talk of national unity is meaningless. The question now is how far the government and political parties take visible steps towards implementation after this warning.
