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Published : 04 Jul 2026, 05:21 PM
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has said Bangladesh must rise above political divisions, arguing that only national unity can seize the opportunity created by the July Uprising.
Speaking at a programme marking the second anniversary of the July Uprising on Saturday, Tarique said the achievement of Aug 5, 2024 belonged to every democracy-loving and peace-loving citizen, regardless of political affiliation.
He said those who lost their lives or suffered during the movement had shared one goal: changing the country's future by improving the lives of its people.
Referring to a banner honouring the youngest victims of the Uprising, the premier said the United Nations estimated that 65 children were killed during the movement.
They had committed no crime, he said, but lost their lives in the struggle to free the country from authoritarian rule.
Reflecting on those turbulent days, Tarique said while the home minister cited a UN estimate of around 1,400 martyrs, his own calculations suggested nearly 2,000 people were killed and roughly 30,000 suffered overall harm during the July movement.
Highlighting years of repression against leaders and activists of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Tarique urged victims' families not to lose sight of the cause for which their loved ones had sacrificed.
The July National Conference, organised by the July '24 Martyrs' Families Society and Amra July Joddha, was held at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Exhibition Centre in Agargaon, Dhaka.
A documentary on the July Uprising was screened during the programme.
Addressing families of those killed and injured, Tarique said the state would do everything possible to honour their sacrifices.
He also pledged that those responsible for the killings would face justice under the law.
The BNP chairman urged all political parties and non-political individuals who contributed to the Aug 5 movement to ensure fair delivery of justice.
He said no one should face injustice in the name of justice, warning that accountability must remain within the framework of the law.
He said legal procedures should be fully respected, even if it took longer, to ensure those responsible received proper punishment.
Tarique also said he understood the pain carried by families who had lost loved ones or endured physical and mental trauma during the movement. He said their suffering was something he, too, continued to feel and carry.
