Mourning Day being observed on July Martyrs' Day

Mourning Day is being observed across the country on Wednesday on the occasion of July Martyrs' Day.

Marking the day, the national flag remains at half-mast in all government, semi-government and autonomous institutions and educational institutions of Bangladesh, including all government and private buildings, and Bangladesh missions abroad.

On Wednesday, special prayers will be held in all mosques of the country seeking eternal peace for the July martyrs. Special prayers will also be offered in other religious institutions, according to a notification issued by of Cabinet Division to this end on Tuesday.

Doa and munajat will be held after the Zuhr prayers in all mosques across the country today, seeking divine forgiveness for the souls of those martyred during the historic July mass uprising.

The Islamic Foundation has made a special request to all concerned—including khatibs, imams, and mosque committees—to arrange special doa and munajat.

Special prayers and supplication will be held at the Baitul Mukarram National Mosque today after Zuhr prayers at 1:30 pm, organised by the Islamic Foundation, a press release said.

On the occasion, Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus issued a message yesterday, urging all to work together to utilise the opportunity created with the sacrifice of July martyrs aiming to build a new Bangladesh. 

"On this day, I remember with deep respect all the martyrs who sacrificed their lives in the July mass uprising to make the nation free from the chains of tyranny," the Chief Adviser said. 

He said that July 16, 2024, is a remarkable day in the history of the mass uprising of students, workers and commoners. 

On this day, he said, at least six people were martyred in Chattogram, Rangpur and Dhaka in police firing and terrorist attacks on the students, who were protesting for the abolition of the discriminatory quota system.

The self-sacrifice of these fearless heroes gave a strong impetus to the movement, Prof Yunus said. 

He said lakhs of students, workers and people took to the streets across the country in protest, while the number of martyrs increased keeping pace with the increase in the intensity of the movement. 

The anti-quota movement soon turned into an anti-government movement, Prof Yunus said, adding that the dictator fled the country in the face of the fierce movement of people from all walks of life. 

He said a new sunrise of liberation emerged in exchange for the blood of hundreds of martyrs.

"Our July martyrs have written an epic heroic story in the anti-dictator mass uprising of 2024."

To uphold the contribution of the martyred and injured July fighters, the interim government, after assuming office, has taken various initiatives for their welfare and their families, the Chief Adviser said. 

To preserve the memory of the martyrs in the July uprising and for the welfare of the martyrs' families and the injured, he said, the July Mass Uprising Directorate and the “July Shaheed Smriti Foundation” were established. 

He mentioned that the process of preparing a complete list of July martyrs and publishing it in the gazette is underway. 

Taka 30 lakh and a monthly allowance are being given to each family of July martyrs, Prof Yunus said. 

He said similar initiatives are also being implemented for the welfare of the injured July fighters.

The Chief Adviser said the July martyrs dreamed of a new state system free from discrimination, corruption and autocracy. 

"Everyone must work together to utilise this opportunity created in exchange for their sacrifice,” he said. 

"Let us all move forward together with determination on the path of a new Bangladesh, imbued with the spirit of July - this is our pledge today," he said. 

Prof Yunus prayed for forgiveness and eternal peace for the departed souls of all the martyrs, who sacrificed their lives in the July uprising.