The Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB) has refrained from joining the all-party meeting on the July uprising proclamation that took place at the Foreign Service Academy in Dhaka this evening.
Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Jamaat-e-Islami, and all major political parties attended the meeting and consulted on the issue with chief adviser Dr Muhammad Yunus and other advisers.
Ruhin Hossain Prince, general secretary of the party, told Prothom Alo that they were invited through a WhatsApp message hours before the meeting, and they found it unrealistic to take preparations and attend the gathering on such a short notice.
The CPB general secretary received an anonymous text message at 1:29 pm on Thursday, with a request to send a representative to the meeting and present the party’s perspective on a draft proclamation on the July uprising.
The message mentioned the meeting time ‘at 4:00 pm tomorrow’, though it was actually scheduled for today, Thursday, Ruhin explained.
Regarding the party’s response, he said, “We, in a return message, informed the inviter that it is unrealistic to consult with our alliance, as well as other democratic political parties, organisations, and individuals involved in the anti-dictatorship and anti-fascist movement on such a crucial issue, within such a short period of time. With overall consideration, the CPB will not be able to attend the meeting scheduled for 16 January."