July Heroes’ Sacrifice Meaningful in True Welfare State

A video message by Chief Adviser Prof. Muhammad Yunus was released today on the occasion of July Mass Uprising Day.

On July Mass Uprising Day, Chief Adviser Prof. Muhammad Yunus said the sacrifices of the “July heroes” would gain true meaning only when Bangladesh becomes a genuine welfare state.

In a video message, he described 5 August as more than a historic date — a symbol of national unity and a rebirth from the grip of fascist rule. He paid tribute to the martyrs of the 1971 Liberation War and the July Uprising, noting that despite independence, justice and democracy had been denied for over five decades due to corruption, discrimination, and misgovernance.

Recalling July 2024 as a turning point in the nation’s history, Prof. Yunus said it stemmed from 16 years of growing frustration among the youth, who, despite academic excellence, faced unemployment, nepotism, and a discriminatory quota system. He condemned the entrenched “mafia system” across state institutions, media, law enforcement, and the judiciary, accusing the former regime of looting national wealth and violently suppressing dissent.

He recounted how students, youth, and citizens united on 24 July 2024 to demand the fall of fascism, facing indiscriminate shootings, arrests, internet blackouts, and denial of medical care to the wounded. Many lost eyesight or became paralysed without treatment.

Prof. Yunus expressed deep respect for those killed, injured, or permanently disabled, pledging continued government support. So far, Tk 98.4 crore has been distributed to 775 martyrs’ families, Tk 153 crore to 13,800 injured fighters, and 78 critically wounded individuals sent abroad for treatment. All injured fighters will receive free treatment at government facilities.

“We have not come just to remember the past — we have come to take an oath,” he said. “We will not bow to oppression; we will build an accountable, humane, democratic, and non-discriminatory state. The July martyrs’ sacrifice will guide the creation of our future Bangladesh.”