Families of July Uprising Martyrs Demand Swift Justice and Memorial Recognition

Photo Collected

A+ A A-

Families of those killed during the July mass uprising gathered at the National Museum in Dhaka on Thursday to demand swift justice for the victims and the preservation of their legacies. Organized by Inqilab Mancha to mark July Martyrs’ Day, the event served as a somber reminder of the toll taken during the movement, with relatives expressing growing frustration over the slow pace of accountability and the neglect of memorial sites.

Shahidul Islam Bhuiyan, father of Farhan Faiyaz, challenged the current administration to uphold the principles of the uprising that brought them to power. Highlighting the plight of survivors who have been left with permanent disabilities or blindness, he emphasized that the moral imperative of the government is to ensure the perpetrators of the violence are held responsible.

The emotional burden of the aftermath was echoed by Mohammad Nabil Hossain, brother of Mohammad Sohel Rana. He recounted the harrowing ordeal of waiting 18 months for DNA testing to identify his brother, who had initially been buried as an unidentified person. Nabil expressed deep anguish over the bureaucratic hurdles families face in seeking official recognition and justice, noting that even the gravesites of many martyrs remain in a state of disrepair.

Court orders arrest of former Chief Justice ABM Khairul Haque in July uprising case

Read More

Inqilab Mancha spokesperson Fatema Tasnim noted that while some political and financial interests have benefited in the wake of the movement, the families of the fallen continue to suffer in obscurity. She called for immediate government intervention to restore the dignity of the martyrs’ resting places and to expedite the legal proceedings against those responsible for the bloodshed.

The sentiment was reinforced by Fazle Rabbi Sarkar, a coordinator for Inqilab Mancha at the University of Dhaka, who asserted that the ultimate honor for the fallen is a robust legal resolution. He warned that the true value of the sacrifice made during the uprising will remain unfulfilled until justice is fully delivered, urging the authorities to prioritize the identification and prosecution of all individuals involved in the killings.