Published :
Updated :
For all latest news, follow The Financial Express Google News channel.
Bangladesh on Tuesday celebrated the first anniversary of the student-led movement that led to the fall of the fascist government of Sheikh Hasina on August 5, 2024. This event is popularly known as "July 36."
The nationwide celebration of the occasion, now officially called "July Mass Uprising Day," included mass rallies, cultural performances, serious tributes, and important speeches to mark the occasion.
Chief Adviser Professor Yunus also presented "the July Proclamation" on behalf of the nation, involving all political parties and groups in the country.
The main event was held at Manik Mia Avenue, where thousands of people gathered to watch a programme marked by emotion, art, and political messages.
Organised by the interim government led by Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus, the schedule included music, poetry recitation, and the official readout of the July Declaration -- a document that describes plans for democratic reforms.
At 5:00 pm, Yunus readout the Declaration to the crowd, promising to protect the achievements of the revolution and move quickly towards a transparent election.
Security was very strict, with police checkpoints and plainclothes officers deployed all over Dhaka to stop any trouble, especially by the banned Awami League.
Yunus says: "Together, we will build a Bangladesh where tyranny will never rise again."
In his speech and earlier public statements, Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus praised the martyrs of the uprising and promised that the interim government would restore democracy through proper reforms.
He asked for national unity to protect the legacy of the revolution.
Tarique Rahman, acting chairman of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), gave a speech to the nation through a video on Facebook.
He declared August 5 a public holiday called "Mass Uprising Day" to remember the end of authoritarian rule under Hasina.
He says, "Exactly one year ago, the fascist Hasina fled the country. The nation was freed from the grip of a monster."
At the July Declaration event at Manik Mia Avenue, top leaders from many political parties joined Yunus on stage. Among them were BNP Secretary-General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and senior BNP leaders Mirza Abbas, Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan, and Nazrul Islam.
From Jamaat-e-Islami, Deputy Chief Syed Abdullah Mohammad Taher, Secretary-General Mia Golam Parwar, and Assistant Secretary-General Rafiqul Islam Khan also joined the event. NCP leader Nahid Islam, advisers Asif Nazrul, Mahfuz Alam, and others were present.
Ganasanghati Convener Zunayed Saqi and Nagorik Oikya President Mahmudur Rahman Manna also took part in the July Declaration.
One year after "36 July," Bangladesh stands at a crossroads.
On the streets of Dhaka, the mass uprising was celebrated like a second independence day -- a historic moment of unity against oppression, said Humayra Islam, a primary school teacher, who came with her family to enjoy concerts at Manik Mia Avenue.
"Our martyrs are also honored here, and the July Declaration is being treated as the foundation for future democracy," said Selim Hossain Mitul, an officer at an NGO.
Mitul said that only the next few months would show which path the country took.
Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ) and the Dhaka Union of Journalists (DUJ) also held a rally in front of the National Press Club in Dhaka.
DUJ President Shahidul Islam gave a speech and paid tributes to six journalists who were killed during the movement.
National Press Club President Hasan Hafiz demanded immediate elections and criticized political parties for staying silent and allowing Indian TV channels to continue airing in Bangladesh.
BFUJ General Secretary Kader Ghani Chowdhury criticised the fact that the Cyber Security Act still existed and that the country still did not have an elected government, even after a year.
Different other organisations also observed the day in different areas of the country.
tonmoy.wardad@gmail.com