At a recent event held in Dhaka, Mohammad Nahid Islam, the Information and Broadcasting Advisor, directly blamed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for the deaths of police officers during the July uprising. The remarks were made on October 20 during the celebration of the 70th anniversary of the National Press Club. According to Nahid, the events surrounding the protests, particularly on August 5, were mishandled by the government, leading to tragic consequences.
Nahid Islam claimed that during the peak of the protests, snipers were deployed against the student-led movement, which had begun as a peaceful demonstration. He accused Sheikh Hasina of instructing her political allies and the police force to maintain control over the situation, even as the unrest grew. Notably, Nahid alleged that on the same day, the Prime Minister left the country without informing the public or her party members. This decision, according to him, created a vacuum in leadership that ultimately led to the deaths of many police officers.
The Information Advisor also took issue with the way the media has reported on these events. He expressed disappointment that many outlets have refrained from referring to those who died during the protests as “martyrs.” He emphasized that the interim government had officially recognized these individuals as martyrs in their documentation, and the public at large considered them as such. However, some media organizations have continued to label them as merely deceased, which Nahid described as a grave injustice to their memory.
Further criticizing the media, Nahid argued that efforts were being made to downplay the significance of the July uprising. He suggested that the narrative of the protest, along with the sacrifices made by the demonstrators, was being deliberately suppressed. According to him, such attempts to rewrite history are aimed at erasing the collective memory of those who fought and suffered for the cause.
In his address, Nahid made bold assertions regarding Sheikh Hasina’s political future. He claimed that the former Prime Minister would not be able to return to Bangladesh for political activities. Instead, he alleged that Sheikh Hasina was now encouraging her supporters in the country to engage in anti-government movements. He further warned that if she were to come back, it would be to face trial for her actions during the period of unrest. In a particularly harsh statement, Nahid referred to past comments he had made to Time magazine, where he had called Sheikh Hasina a “psychopath and bloodsucker,” asserting that her behavior during the crisis proved his statements true.
Nahid also shed light on the initial nature of the uprising, which he described as a peaceful movement aimed at reform. However, he accused the government of turning to force, with security agencies targeting protesters. He noted that many activists were abducted, tortured, and even disappeared during the crackdown, escalating tensions throughout the nation. Nahid’s statements have further fueled the ongoing political debate, highlighting the deep divisions within the country over the handling of the protests and the role of leadership during this critical time.
The event was attended by notable figures such as Mahmudur Rahman, the editor of Amar Desh, and Hasan Hafiz, President of the National Press Club, among others. Their presence underscored the gravity of the remarks made, as political discourse in Bangladesh continues to be dominated by the fallout from the July uprising.
Source: Ittefaq
