At the National Museum’s main auditorium on Monday, October 7, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting observed the sixth martyrdom anniversary of Shaheed Abrar Fahad through a special screening event featuring documentaries and short films on the July Uprising and a cultural documentary dedicated to Abrar himself. The program was attended by Information Adviser Mahfuj Alam and Cultural Affairs Adviser Mostofa Sarwar Farooki.
In his keynote address, Mahfuj Alam paid tribute to all martyrs who sacrificed their lives defending Bangladesh’s sovereignty and democratic rights. He recalled the construction of the “Eight Pillars Against Aggression” monument on October 5, 2020 — later demolished by what he described as the “tyrannical regime’s goons.” According to him, the spirit of this monument embodies resistance against both colonial and hegemonic forces, deeply connected to Abrar Fahad’s anti-imperialist ideals.
“Today’s anti-colonial struggles are inseparable from Abrar’s resistance to hegemony,” Mahfuz Alam said. “In our contemporary world, the last living form of colonialism is Israel — continuing its aggression on Palestine.”
He also revealed that he had initially wanted to include anti-colonial resistance as one of the eight conceptual pillars, though it was later omitted due to technical complications. Calling on young thinkers and activists, he said:
“Those who want to think about the state must work to build a theoretical framework — to identify the elements within our own society that make us vulnerable to aggression and domination.”
Touching upon national consciousness, Alam added:
“We will raise the slogan ‘Dhaka, not Delhi’ — but along with the slogan, we must also work to make Dhaka truly great. Our slogans must not merely be reactions; they should inspire the constructive energy required for nation-building.”
Emphasizing the power of the new generation, Mahfuz Alam called the youth “our greatest source of strength.”
“We are a fighting people; we have already won one great struggle. If we truly wish to defeat domination, aggression, and colonialism, we must prepare ourselves and our society. The crises born from state fascism must be resolved through productive work — through building strong educational, healthcare, and research institutions.”
He further urged collaboration with the Bangladeshi diaspora in this vision of national reconstruction.
“Realizing this vision — a sovereign, self-reliant, and democratic Bangladesh — will be the truest tribute to Abrar Fahad and the martyrs of July.”
