The July Declaration stated that Sheikh Hasina’s absolute power, dominance, and path to fascism were enabled by the conspiratorial arrangement of the 1/11 government. However, many individuals associated with that government have continued to claim it was a legitimate government and a reform-oriented initiative. Advisers and members of the coordination committee from the 1/11 caretaker government have also described the December 2008 national election as the most credible one.
Clause 6 of the July Charter, announced yesterday (August 5, 2025), reads, “Whereas, the democratic way of regime change was disrupted through domestic and external intrigues, thus laying the way in Bangladesh for the paramount power, domination and fascism of Sheikh Hasina through the conspiratorial arrangement of so-called 1/11.”
The day before, on the evening of Monday, August 4, Interim Government’s Information and Broadcasting Adviser Mahfuj Alam wrote on his verified Facebook account, “The footsteps of 1/11 can be heard!” The post sparked curious discussions on social media. A short while later, Mahfuj Alam edited the post to add: “But July will win. The people’s struggle will not be defeated.”
Notably, the 9th parliamentary election took place on December 29, 2008, under the 1/11 Caretaker Government. Brigadier General (retd.) M Sakhawat Hussain served as an election commissioner at the time. He is now serving as the adviser to the ministries of labor and employment, and shipping in the Interim Government. Muhammad Fouzul Kabir Khan, who was the Secretary of the Power Division under the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources during the 1/11 government, is now the adviser to that same ministry in the current interim government. Interim Government’s Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain also served as the Foreign Secretary during the 1/11 caretaker government.
Yesterday morning, at a press conference in Bijoynagar, Dhaka, organized by the Amar Bangladesh (AB) Party to mark the first anniversary of the July Uprising, party chairman Mojibur Rahman Monju warned that “if political parties fail to reach a consensus and continue to repeat mistakes caused by division and disunity, the country will inevitably head toward another One-Eleven.”
Later that night, Mojibur Rahman Monju elaborated on the One-Eleven government’s reference in the July Charter. He told Bonik Barta, “Since One-Eleven is widely seen as the starting point of Sheikh Hasina’s fascist rule, and it’s now clear that this was an international conspiracy facilitated by Indian collaboration. This has been reflected in statements from various prominent figures and even in the memoirs of the Indian president. So we believe including this in the charter is justified as a lesson from history.”
On January 11, 2007, following the imposition of a state of emergency, a military-backed Caretaker Government led by Dr. Fakhruddin Ahmed came to power. Several advisers served in that administration. Among them, Barrister Mainul Hosein served as Law Adviser; AB Mirza Md Azizul Islam was the Finance Adviser; Dr. Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury served at the foreign ministry; Hossain Zillur Rahman at the commerce ministry; and Begum Geeteara Safiya Chowdhury was adviser at the industries ministry.
However, Rasheda K Choudhury, who served as adviser for primary and mass education, women and children affairs, and cultural affairs during the One-Eleven period, rejected the claim that the Caretaker Government paved the way for fascism. Speaking to Bonik Barta, she said, “There can be questions regarding One-Eleven; there can be disagreements. But after all these years, there’s no reason to reopen this debate. There’s no conflict with the One-Eleven government anymore. It also followed a democratic process. The 2008 election is globally recognized as ‘one of the best elections.’ Not only was it accepted, but power was also transferred peacefully without any trouble. Most importantly, the army helped with things like removing fake voters and issuing NID cards, and that didn’t raise any questions inside or outside the country. Since there were no questions, it must be considered acceptable. What happened later was a corruption of that process driven by a hunger for power. Blaming One-Eleven for that serves no purpose.”
When asked to comment on the issue, AB Mirza Md Azizul Islam, who served as adviser for finance and planning during the One-Eleven Caretaker Government, declined. “I don’t want to make any comment on this,” he told Bonik Barta.
Ali Imam Majumder, who served as Cabinet Secretary under the One-Eleven government (Adviser for Food and Land in the Interim Government), when contacted, told Bonik Barta that he would not make any comment on the matter.
Lieutenant General (Retd.) Masud Uddin Chowdhury was appointed Chief Coordinator of the National Coordination Committee on Serious Crimes and Corruption, formed during the One-Eleven Caretaker Government that took office on January 11, 2007, to lead anti-corruption drives. In an interview with Bonik Barta on October 21, 2023, he commented on several issues, including calling the One-Eleven government legitimate. He told Bonik Barta, “Let me say one thing, the former Chief Election Commissioner of India T. N. Seshan is a shining example in the subcontinent. The caretaker government also wanted to set up a similar Election Commission, which could speak with a straight spine. As a result, there is no controversy over the 2008 elections. The losers can't say they were cheated. On the other hand, even those who won cannot be blamed for having rigged their winnings. This meant that the election was fair and impartial, which was acceptable at home and abroad .”
Asked why the anti-corruption measures of the One-Eleven government could not be implemented, he said things would have been better if the government had lasted longer. “It takes time to adopt a new habit or change one. Two years was naturally too short a time. If this system had lasted for five to ten years, a generation would arise who would not tolerate corruption.”
In the early days of the 1/11 period, former army officer Chowdhury Fazlul Bari was serving as the acting Director General of the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI). He was also present in the President’s room alongside the chiefs of the three forces and others when the state of emergency was declared on January 11, 2007. In an interview with Bonik Barta on June 2 this year, he said, “If reform had truly been a priority, then Sheikh Hasina wouldn’t have had the opportunity to stay in power for 16 years. If a decision had been made that someone won’t be made Prime Minister twice, then that would have been it. She was there in 2008, and again later. There was even another instance before that. After that, she wouldn’t have had the opportunity to become the Prime Minister so many times. If those reforms had taken place back then, people could have been saved from a major disaster.”
After the Interim Government assumed office, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir spoke to Bonik Barta regarding the 1/11 government. One such interview was published in Bonik Barta on November 26 last year. In that interview, he was asked, “The current interim government includes figures from the 1/11 administration. Is there any concern about the possibility of BNP being sidelined (minus)?” In response, Mirza Fakhrul Islam said, “I don’t think so. No one can minus BNP. Since its inception, BNP has been a political reality. BNP is the most popular political party because of its politics. You may not agree with me. Two main reasons can be cited: one is independence, sovereignty, and democracy, and the other is the concept of national identity. We are a distinct nation, and as people of this region, we have a distinct existence. We are not West Bengal, Tripura, or Assam, we are Bangladesh. It is this uniqueness that the BNP embodies. At the same time, BNP is uncompromising on the issue of independence and sovereignty.”
Regarding the inclusion of a negative assessment of the 1/11 system in the July Declaration and a former adviser of the then caretaker government condemning it, Foyez Ahammad, Senior Assistant Press Secretary to the Chief Adviser of the Interim Government, told Bonik Barta, “It’s not that the July Declaration brought the issue of 1/11 being a conspiratorial arrangement to light for the first time. After that government was formed, very few people had the courage to speak out against it. Later on, even the Awami League described that government as a conspiracy. The BNP also shares that view. The attempt made at that time to create a leadership vacuum in politics remains a dark chapter in our country’s history. That is why the political parties have collectively included this characterization of the 1/11 system in the Declaration.”