The University of Dhaka (DU) has decided to build a ‘July Memorial Monument’ on its campus to honour those who were killed during the 2024 July Mass Uprising.
The foundation stone of the monument will be laid on August 5 as part of the university’s programmes marking the second anniversary of the mass uprising.
The decision was taken at a preparatory meeting held on Monday at the Professor Abdul Matin Chowdhury Virtual Classroom to finalise the programmes for the anniversary, according to a press release.
DU Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr ABM Obaidul Islam chaired the meeting, where preparations, progress of different subcommittees and implementation plans for the daylong events were reviewed.
As part of the commemorative initiatives, the university will also establish a ‘July Corner’ at the Dhaka University Central Library to preserve memories of the movement.
The corner will display clothes and other belongings of the July martyrs, along with video footage, photographs and archival materials documenting the uprising.
A discussion programme will be held at the Teacher-Student Centre (TSC) auditorium on August 5, followed by a milad and doa mahfil after Asr prayers at the university’s central mosque.
The university will also screen documentaries on the July movement through displays installed at different locations across the campus.
It plans to recognise students, teachers, officers and employees who took part in the movement after verification of relevant evidence.
To preserve graffiti created during the July movement, walls across the campus will be repainted, while cleaning and restoration work is already underway.
The university is also continuing work on publishing a souvenir featuring experiences of students, teachers, officers and employees involved in the movement.
The meeting was attended by DU Pro-Vice Chancellor (Academic) Prof Dr Abdus Salam, Pro-Vice Chancellor (Administration) Prof Mohammed Almujaddade Alfasane, Treasurer Prof Dr M Jahangir Alam, deans, provosts, the Proctor, acting Registrar and members of various subcommittees.
Different halls and academic units of the university have also arranged programmes from July 26 to August 3 to observe the second anniversary of the July Mass Uprising.
Speaking at a commemorative event, the DU Vice-Chancellor said the country achieved through the sacrifices of July uprising martyrs must be transformed into a discrimination-free and justice-based Bangladesh.
He said the university has taken several initiatives to preserve the memory of the movement, including tuition fee waivers for injured students, preservation of graffiti and construction of the memorial monument.
