The discussion meeting was held last Thursday at the Upazila Parishad auditorium, chaired by Upazila Executive Officer (UNO) Mehedi Hasan Kausar.
Upazila convener of Chhatra Dal Mahfuzur Rahman Hridoy, municipal convener Nazrul Islam Nishat, and Chhatra Shibir city president Rakib Hossain and government college president Farhan Khan Naeem alleged that despite playing an active role in the July movement, neither they nor their organizations were formally invited to participate in this state program.
According to them, the representatives of the organizations that led the July movement were ignored, which they find disappointing.
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On the other hand, present at the event were Raypur Upazila Awami League Vice President and Sonapur Union Parishad Chairman Advocate Yusuf Jalal Kismat, and Upazila Awami League member and South Charbanshi Union Parishad Chairman Abu Jafar Md. Saleh Mintu Faraji.
Several participants of the July movement said that at the beginning of the event, they raised objections regarding the presence of those two Awami League leaders. However, the Upazila Executive Officer informed them that they participated in the state program as elected chairmen of union parishads.
Abdur Rahman, father of July movement martyr Osman Patwari, said he was not previously aware of the presence of those two Awami League leaders at the event. He said the upazila administration can best say who invited them. He described the incident as unfortunate.
Regarding the allegations, Upazila Executive Officer Mehedi Hasan Kausar said, 'July Shaheed Day is a state program. No one was personally invited here. They participated in the event as chairmen of union parishads.'