The interim government has decided not to observe ‘New Bangladesh Day’ on August 8, one of the three days it had previously announced to commemorate the July uprising that toppled the Awami League government on August 5, 2024.
Besides, ‘Shaheed Abu Sayeed Day’, initially set for July 16, has been renamed ‘July Martyrs Day.’ Abu Sayeed was killed in July 16 police firing in Rangpur during the July uprising
These decisions were taken at a meeting of the advisory council on Sunday at the Chief Adviser’s Office in the capital’s Tejgaon, said CA press secretary Shafiqul Alam.
August 5 has now been declared ‘July Mass Uprising Day’ to commemorate the overthrow of the Awami League regiment amid the student-led mass uprising.
The government had earlier announced August 8 as ‘New Bangladesh Day,’ marking the beginning of the interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus.
The Cabinet Division had issued a notification on June 25 instructing ministries and agencies to observe these days with due honor from this year.
However, an organisation named ‘Inquilab Mancha’ rejected the declaration of August 8 as ‘New Bangladesh Day,’ insisting that true ‘Liberation Day’ should be August 5, not August 8.
They also threatened to observe August 8 as ‘Hijacked Revolution Day’ if the government proceeded to mark August 8 as New Bangladesh Day.
The government announcements sparked widespread debate on social media, with many supporters of the uprising expressing disappointment, saying that the government had not fulfilled expectations of the people.
Amid the controversy, the interim government advisory council at its Sunday meeting decided not to observe August 8 as New Bangladesh Day.
After the meeting, press secretary Shafiqul Alam in a Facebook post stated that the advisory council decided to observe July 16 as ‘July Martyrs Day’ and August 5 as ‘July Mass Uprising Day’ while there would be no special celebration on August 8.