The first state-recognized memorial dedicated to the victims of the July 2024 mass uprising was inaugurated Sunday in Narayanganj.
Named the July Shaheed Smritistambha, the monument marks a significant gesture by the interim government to acknowledge the student-led movement that brought down the Awami League administration earlier this year.
Family members of the deceased and wounded were present at the ceremony. Some stood quietly by the structure. Others laid flowers or simply watched. For many, it felt overdue.
Among those attending were key figures from the current interim administration, including Law Adviser Asif Nazrul, Housing and Public Works Adviser Adilur Rahman Khan, Energy Adviser Fouzul Kabir Khan, Education Adviser CR Abrar, and Environment Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan.
Adilur Rahman Khan, speaking at the ceremony, said efforts are underway to convert the former prime minister’s official residence, Ganabhaban, into a museum documenting resistance against authoritarianism.
“This regime lasted over 15 years. It ended not through negotiation, but through 36 days of popular revolt,” Khan said. “These memorials should remind us of what that struggle cost.”
Environment Adviser Rizwana Hasan emphasized the need to move beyond symbolism. “Building a just and equal Bangladesh is the only real tribute,” she said. “Compensation for the injured must be finalized. We cannot afford to repeat the violence carried out by the state.”
Law Adviser Asif Nazrul addressed ongoing legal proceedings tied to the uprising. “Trials are in motion,” he said. “We are committed to concluding them before the end of this government’s term.”
The ceremony also included remarks from the mother of Mohammad Adil, a student who was killed during the protests.
“We buried him with our own hands. Let his grave be cared for. Let the others not be forgotten either,” she said.
After the event, attendees walked around the memorial site. Some took photos. Others stayed behind. There was no formal closing.
Plans for additional monuments in Dhaka and Chittagong are reportedly under review. Whether they materialize soon remains uncertain.
For now, Narayanganj holds the first marker of a movement that reshaped the nation’s political course.
