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Published : 01 Jul 2025, 02:16 PM
Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus says that each day of last year’s July and August will be revived following the inauguration of month-long programmes marking the anniversary of the July Uprising.
During his speech at the inaugural ceremony at the Chief Advisor’s Office on Tuesday, he said: “Through this series of events, we will renew our pledge to realise the goals for which our young students, the members of the public, rickshaw pullers, and workers sacrificed their lives and suffered injuries. We will continue this every year, so that autocracy can never rear its head again.”
He later unveiled a QR code for the programmes and handed over scholarship checks to three students from National University.
He said, “Today is a glorious moment in history. A year ago, in this very month of July, the movement that our students began evolved into an unprecedented mass uprising that gave us a taste of liberation.
“July became an inevitable call in the fight to restore democracy -- an awakening of the people. The core message of that movement was: ‘Abolish fascism and rebuild Bangladesh, return the state to the hands of the people.’”
Clarifying that the commemoration of the July Uprising is not just an emotional or reactive event, he said: “After 16 years, we announced a great rebellion through that uprising, and we achieved its immediate target. But behind it was a much larger dream -- to reconstruct the state anew, to build a new Bangladesh.”
The chief advisor announced that this time of the year would be observed every year, so that any sign of autocracy could be eliminated immediately.
He said, “The annual observance is vital, so that if we detect any trace of dictatorship, we can immediately eliminate it. We must be able to detect and stop autocracy before it even starts to unfold. Let us not be forced to wait another sixteen years.
“I pay deep tribute to all those youths, people of all ages, children, the elderly, farmers, workers, teachers, rickshaw-pullers, who took to the streets and raised the flag for democracy. They became symbols of courage, sacrifice, and resolve.”
He added, “This month-long programme is not merely an act of remembrance, but a renewal of our commitment. Last July, a rare unity emerged among people of all classes, professions, and ages. This July, we want to strengthen that unity again.”
The head of the interim government also reminded the audience that the programmes’ core objectives are to make people aware of their democratic rights, to demand political accountability, and to ensure that this hard-won opportunity for reform, earned through bloodshed, is not wasted.
“Our path ahead is difficult, but it holds tremendous potential,” he said. “History bears witness that when the people rise, no force can stop them.”
Wishing for the success of the July-August revival programmes, he said: “Let our dreams awaken anew through this. Let our unity become all-encompassing and unbreakable — this is the goal of this event series.”
He concluded by calling on everyone to take part in the programme with full enthusiasm.
