A political party is looking for an opportunity to sign the July Charter, BNP Standing Committee member Salahuddin Ahmed has claimed.

We have said that a referendum on the July Charter could be held on the day of the national election. Now, a party wants to sign the July Charter. They have some demands, and I hope there will be a constructive resolution,” Salahuddin said on Thursday.   

He was speaking at a seminar titled ‘Education and Employment in the Thoughts of Youth in Post-2024 Bangladesh’ organised by the University Teachers Association of Bangladesh (UTAB) at the National Press Club.

Highlighting the lessons of post-2024 Bangladesh, the BNP leader said, “The main lesson is change. We must build a Bangladesh based on merit, knowledge and technology. Every level of society should work with a sense of responsibility. Universities must become centres for free thinking and research.”

He further said that employment could not be created solely by the government. “Young people must become self-reliant and create employment opportunities through their own initiatives,” he added.

On the July mass uprising, Salahuddin remarked, “The change we expect after an uprising must take place in every sphere. It was an expression of public anger against a long-standing fascist regime. The nation’s liberation will only be possible if democratic and constitutional institutions are transformed into strong legal structures.”

The seminar was presided over by UTAB President Professor A B M Obaidul Islam, while other speakers included Stamford University Vice-Chancellor Professor Akhtar Hossain Khan, BNP Media Cell Convener Professor Dr Maudud Hossain Alamgir Pavel, and UTAB General Secretary Professor Morshed Hasan Khan, among others.

In his presidential address, Professor Obaidul Islam said that negligence by the previous government had raised questions about the quality of education. “Education must be made employment-oriented and scientifically driven, otherwise we will lag behind in global competition,” he added.