July Shaheed Smriti Foundation faces deepening financial crisis as staff go unpaid

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The July Shaheed Smriti Foundation, established to support families of those killed and injured during the July uprising, is facing a severe liquidity crisis that has left its 39 staff members without pay for five months. The organization is currently struggling to meet basic operational expenses, including an outstanding office rent of 2.4 million taka for its Shahbag headquarters.

The financial strain has reached a point where the Foundation’s Chief Executive Officer, retired Lt. Col. Kamal Akbar, provided a personal, interest-free loan of 1 million taka to cover immediate needs before the recent Eid al-Adha. Akbar, who has also been working without a salary for several months, noted that staff morale has plummeted, with many employees taking unpaid leave or resigning due to the hardship.

The Foundation was launched in September 2024 with a 100-million-taka grant from the interim government’s relief fund. While it has since raised total funds of approximately 124 million taka, the majority has been disbursed as emergency financial aid to 831 families of the deceased and over 6,000 injured individuals. According to the Foundation’s current records, only 3.85 million taka remains, leaving a critical shortfall for administrative costs and long-term rehabilitation programs.

CEO Kamal Akbar emphasized that the Foundation requires a stable annual operational budget of at least 100 million taka to remain viable. Beyond administrative costs, the institution is tasked with the monumental goals of preserving the memory of the uprising, maintaining a digital archive, and coordinating the complex rehabilitation of thousands of victims. To date, the Foundation has processed information for nearly 5,000 families and injured individuals, while simultaneously vetting claims to prevent fraudulent applications.

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Calls for government intervention have intensified in recent months. Opposition Chief Whip and National Citizens Party convener Nahid Islam raised the issue in parliament, urging for immediate state funding. Akbar has also publicly appealed to members of parliament to donate one month’s salary to bridge the gap until permanent government allocations are finalized.

Despite the current turmoil, leadership remains optimistic about the Foundation’s future. Syeda Rizwana Hasan, president of the Foundation, confirmed that the government views the funding request positively and is actively reviewing the proposal. The interim government has already allocated a plot of land in Bijoynagar for a permanent facility, a move the Foundation expects will resolve long-term infrastructure challenges once the necessary budget is secured.