Govt to launch special progs from Jul 1

The government will roll out a series of special programmes starting July 1 to commemorate the historic July mass uprising, Cultural Affairs Adviser Mostofa Sarwar Farooki has said.

Speaking at a press briefing held at the Foreign Service Academy in the capital on Thursday, Mr Farooki said, "The programmes will begin on July 1, but the main events will begin on July 14 and continue until August 5."

The press conference was organised to share decisions made at a meeting of the Advisory Council earlier in the day.

"The main goal of our initiative is to rekindle the spirit of unity that swept across the country in July. We are working on several programmes to achieve this," the adviser said.

One of the key decisions from the council meeting was to observe August 5 annually as "Student-People's Uprising Day", which will also be declared a public holiday.

Mr Farooki added that the chief adviser's Press Wing will release a detailed schedule of the July commemoration programmes next Monday.

At the same briefing, Chief Adviser's Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam said nine advisers attended the day's meeting, where two other significant decisions were also made.

"A committee on the autonomy of Bangladesh Betar and Bangladesh Television has been formed, to be headed by Education Adviser Chowdhury Rafiqul Abrar."Also, a separate committee has been tasked with drafting the 'July Proclamation', a long-standing demand of students and the general public," Mr Alam added.

This committee will be led by Planning Adviser Wahiduddin Mahmud and will include several other advisers.

It will collaborate with student and political groups to finalise the proclamation ahead of August 5.

Members of the chief adviser's Press Wing were also present at the press briefing.

mirmostafiz@yahoo.com