Umama Fatema, former spokesperson for the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, has strongly condemned Bangladesh Islami Chhatra Shibir for what she described as a “despicable attempt” to equate the July Uprising with the 1971 Liberation War. Speaking on the anniversary of the July Uprising, Fatema stated that Bangladesh was born through the 1971 Liberation War, while the 2024 uprising marked the fall of a 17-year-long authoritarian regime. “The history of Bangladesh has been shaped by the struggle of its people,” she said. She further criticized Shibir’s public displays—referring to posters and visuals—as a blatant disrespect to the blood of the nation’s martyrs and to the spirit of the July Uprising. “Such acts are an affront to our collective memory and the sacrifices that built this nation,” she added.