July Martyrs Day was observed with due respect in Dhaka and elsewhere across the country on Wednesday, marking the first anniversary of death of Abu Sayeed, a student of Begum Rokeya University, Rangpur, who was shot dead on July 16 last year during the nationwide Students Against Discrimination movement.
On the day, the national flag was kept at half-mast in all government, semi-government and autonomous bodies, educational institutions and Bangladesh missions abroad.
To mark the day, several programmes, including discussions, were held nationwide at different organisations, including education institutions in particular.聽
Special prayers were also offered in all mosques and other religious institutions.
Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha reported that hundreds of people from all walks of life started visiting the grave of Abu Sayeed at his hometown Babanpur village in Pirganj upazila of Rangpur since Wednesday morning, remembering his supreme sacrifice.
BSS reported that the foundation stones of Shaheed Abu Sayeed Gate and Museum and Shaheed Abu Sayeed Memorial Monument were laid at Begum Rokeya University, Rangpur on the day.
Asif Nazrul, adviser to the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs and the Ministry of Expatriates Welfare and Overseas Employment, and Syeda Rizwana Hasan, adviser to the Ministry of Water Resources and the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, along with Abu Sayeed鈥檚 father Md Mokbul Hossain, laid the foundation stones.聽
According to another BSS report, liberation war affairs adviser Faruk E Azam at an event, marking the inauguration of 鈥楽treet memory stamps鈥� initiative at Bahaddarhat and Muradpur intersections in Chattogram city said that permanent memorials were being erected at 864 sites nationwide where martyrs lost their lives.
The adviser also announced that the government plans to establish a dedicated department to provide maximum support to the families of the injured and deceased from the July incident.
Bangla Academy also arranged a discussion marking the day at its Abdul Karim Sahitya Bisharad Auditorium in which Bangla Academy director general Mohammad Azam was present.聽
Abu Sayeed was the first protester killed in what students now refer to as the 鈥�36 Days of July鈥欌�攁 movement that began on July 1, 2024, demanding an end to the discriminatory quota system in public sector recruitment.
On this day, at least six people, Abu Sayeed among them, were martyred in Chattogram, Rangpur and Dhaka in police firing and attacks on the protesting students.
The protests quickly grew into a mass uprising, culminating in the ouster of then-prime minister Sheikh Hasina on August 5.
The government on Tuesday announced that national mourning day would be observed on Wednesday to mark July Martyrs Day. The Cabinet Division issued a notification in this regard.
