BNP leader Ruhul Kuddus Talukder Dulu stated that the popular uprising on August 5, which cost the lives of students and citizens, paved the way for today's freedoms, including freedom of speech and assembly. He criticized the Awami League for stifling dissent during its tenure and called for unity among opposition parties including BNP, Jamaat, and NCP to resist what he termed "fascist rule." Dulu also accused Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina of conspiring from India to portray Bangladesh as a failed state.