Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr. Shafiqur Rahman has called for August 5 to be officially recognized as “New Bangladesh Day”, rejecting the government`s proposed observance on August 8.

In a post from his verified Facebook page on Friday, Dr. Rahman wrote, “It should not be August 8 — August 5 must be declared as New Bangladesh Day.”

His remarks come amid growing debate over the naming of recent political milestones. The interim government led by Nobel Laureate Dr. Muhammad Yunus has designated August 5 — the day the Awami League government fell — as “Jolai Gonobhabutthan Dibosh” (July People`s Uprising Day). Meanwhile, August 8, the date of the interim government’s formal formation, has been proposed as “New Bangladesh Day.”

Several political leaders, including NCP’s Hasnat Abdullah and Sarjis Alam, have publicly opposed naming August 8 as New Bangladesh Day, arguing that August 5, which symbolizes the actual fall of the previous regime following a popular uprising, carries greater historical significance.

Dr. Rahman echoed this sentiment, aligning Jamaat-e-Islami with calls to commemorate August 5 instead.