Uprisings may recur if people's demands remain unmet: Nahid

National Citizen Party (NCP) Convener Nahid Islam has said if people's aspirations continue to be denied, such uprisings may recur as young people fight to reclaim their rightful opportunities and future, reports UNB.
"The previous 'fascist government' entrenched a discriminatory system in the state administration and the economy, where 'mafias and looters monopolised power," depriving ordinary citizens of their basic rights and legitimate aspirations," he said.
Speaking at the 4th Bangladesh Economic Conference, organised by Daily Bonik Barta at the Sonargaon Hotel in the capital on Saturday, he said the governance structure of the past years was designed to benefit a small group of elites, leaving the wider population neglected.
"As a consequence of prolonged deprivation, a sense of solidarity grew among the masses, especially the youth. It was this collective spirit that sparked the July uprising. It was not just a political upheaval; it was a deep-seated movement against inequality," he said.
Nahid Islam said the uprising reflected broader societal demands for fairness, dignity, and equal opportunity. While many analysts described it as a political mass movement, he emphasised that its roots were primarily economic and social.
He identified employment creation and meeting the needs of an expanding urban middle class as the two biggest policy challenges now. Millions of young people enter the job market every year. Ensuring employment and securing the livelihoods of metropolitan middle-income families must be prioritised," he said. Access to affordable education, healthcare, and essential public services must be guaranteed to prevent further social discontent, he added.
The NCP convener said the new governance structure must prioritise modernising urban public transport, fostering youth employment, and expanding entrepreneurship development in major cities.