Nahid Islam, convener of the National Citizen Party (NCP) and opposition chief whip, greeted Bangladeshis on 5 August 2026 for the second anniversary of the July Revolution. In a statement, he described 5 August as an unforgettable day in national history and a symbol of the people of the Bengal delta's long history of struggle, sacrifice, pride and victory.

Islam referred to historical struggles from resistance to colonial rule through the 1971 Liberation War. He said a just and accountable state system had not been fully established after independence. He alleged that shootings during the quota reform movement led to a broad resistance involving students and people from multiple professions, resulting in the fall of what he called a Bakshali force. He said 1,400 people were killed and 30,000 injured.

He said the changes sought by those killed had not materialized because of political leaders' lack of cooperation since 5 August, and that ordinary people had not regained relief after two years. Islam criticized alleged party politicization, opposition to reforms, excessive centralization of power and administrative inefficiency. He urged the government to implement reforms in line with the public mandate in a referendum, avoid politics of terrorism and occupation, and ensure swift justice for all mass killings, including those of 2024.