The interim government has announced an ambitious, month-long programme to commemorate the 2024 July uprising—an event that reshaped the country’s political landscape. Beginning on 1 July and culminating on 5 August, now symbolically termed “36 July,” the programme spans across faiths, districts, and generations to honour the martyrs and victims of the deadly crackdown.
In a statement posted today (24 June) on the Chief Adviser’s official Facebook page, the government laid out the full plan under the banner “July Will Live Forever.”
The programme begins with nationwide prayers and memorials at mosques, temples, churches, and pagodas—uniting religious communities in grief and remembrance. A digital and print “July Calendar” will be launched the same day, alongside a nationwide signature campaign demanding justice for those killed in the crackdown. The campaign will continue until 1 August.
Honouring with Action and Art
Among the major initiatives:
- National University scholarships will be introduced in the names of the July martyrs.
- 5 July will mark the start of a poster campaign highlighting alleged abuses under the Awami League regime.
- On 7 July, the official memorial website JulyForever.org will go live.
- 14 July is declared “July Women’s Day,” with families of victims sharing testimonial videos in a national storytelling initiative that will continue until “July 36.”
- Each district will begin construction of a martyr’s memorial, and Shilpakala Academy will coordinate documentary screenings in all 64 districts and major universities.
- At Dhaka University’s TSC, an immersive series of events—projection mapping, musical tributes, and drone light shows—will breathe new life into the memories of July.
Days of Resistance and a Grand Farewell
The government has also earmarked 19–21 July as Genocide and Student-People’s Resistance Days, commemorating the peak of violence and defiance during the uprising.
The climax of the observance will occur on 5 August—a day redubbed “36 July”—featuring:
- Wreath-laying ceremonies across the country
- A meeting between the Chief Adviser and the victims’ families
- National prayers, an air show, and a grand rally to Manik Mia Avenue
- The premiere of the official documentary ‘36 Days of July’
- A dramatic drone and murmuration show set to rap music, closing the chapter in defiance and unity
Throughout the month, cultural and educational events will continue, forming what the government called “a living memorial for the July generation.”
