July martyrs' families demand implementation of uprising's aspirations

Family members of the July Uprising martyrs have demanded the implementation of the core aspirations of the July mass movement, structural changes in the state and political culture, and fair justice for the killings committed during fascist era.

They also urged the government to secure the social, political, and economic rights of citizens while creating a supportive environment to harness the potential of talented youth.

The family members raised these demands at a discussion titled "Role of University Teachers in the Fall of the Fascist Government" on Saturday morning.

Dhaka University Sada Dal and the University Teachers Association of Bangladesh (UTAB) jointly organised the event at the Nabab Nawab Ali Chowdhury Senate Building of the university to mark the two-year anniversary of the 2024 uprising.

Abu Hossain, elder brother of martyr Abu Sayeed; Shafiul Alam, father of martyr Wasim Akram, and Mir Mahbubur Rahman Snigdha, brother of martyr Mir Mugdha, spoke at the event, outlining their concerns regarding the sacrifices of the martyrs, expected political culture, and the judicial process.

"On 16 July 2024, my brother was brutally shot dead," said Abu Hossain. "In the wake of this, the quota reform movement turned into a mass uprising as students took to the streets to overthrow the dictatorial government."

Comparing the role of academia to historical movements, Abu Hossain recalled how Rajshahi University teacher Shamsuzzoha stood by students during the 1969 uprising, noting that university teachers similarly emboldened, supported, and guided students during the July movement.

"The 2024 mass uprising cannot be compared with the great Liberation War of 1971," he remarked. "However, the goal of the students and masses in 2024 was to restore and protect the independence achieved in 1971."

Expressing disappointment over recent satire directed at the movement, Abu Hossain criticized political parties for failing to lodge adequate protests and called on the government to take legal action against those who mock or insult the July uprising.

He added, "Common people should be able to say that they are better off under the current government than before–only then will the sacrifice of the martyrs be fulfilled."

Shafiul Alam emphasised preserving the core vision of the movement. "Our sons and daughters took to the streets with certain expectations, hopes, and aspirations," he said, cautioning everyone against confusing or spoiling those goals through commercial or self-serving interests.

He urged the government to establish merit-based opportunities for young people and requested citizens to give the current administration time and cooperation to deliver justice and correct mistakes.

Outlining three core demands, Mir Mahbubur Rahman Snigdha called for an overhaul of the fascist state structure, a transformation in political culture, and fair trials for the killings during the July-August movement.

Snigdha expressed strong reservation over public figures making sweeping statements without accountability. "If a young MP speaks on behalf of an entire generation, through which national conference or referendum was he given that responsibility?" he questioned, warning that imposing political stances under the guise of representing a generation reflects another form of fascism.

He also criticised disrespect toward senior politicians, calling it a remnant of fascist culture that strays from post-uprising expectations.

"To change the country, we must first change ourselves," Snigdha said, calling the responsibility of honouring the martyrs a shared duty among all citizens, including opposition parties.

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Snigdha voiced disappointment over recent judicial rulings, specifically pointing to a three-year sentence handed to a police officer involved in the killing of martyr Anas and a five-year sentence handed to former IGP Chowdhury Abdullah Al Mamun, urging the public to stay vocal on the issue.

Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed attended the meeting as the chief guest, while Prime Minister's Political Adviser Ruhul Kabir Rizvi joined as the special guest. Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor Prof ABM Obaidul Islam was also present.

The meeting was chaired by Dhaka University Sada Dal Convener and UTAB Secretary General Prof Md Morshed Hasan Khan and attended by university faculty and representatives from across the country.