Published: June 19, 2025, 04:42 PM
The government has officially declared August 5 a public holiday in honor of the student-led mass uprising that led to the fall of the Awami League government. The decision was finalized during a special meeting of the Advisory Council held on Thursday, chaired by Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus.
Addressing the press at the Foreign Service Academy following the meeting, Cultural Affairs Advisor Mostofa Sarwar Farooki announced, “Programs will begin on July 1, but the main events will take place from July 14 to August 5. The goal is to revive the national spirit of unity we witnessed during the July-August Movement.”
Farooki confirmed that the new holiday will be marked annually as "Student-People Mass Uprising Day", and added that detailed event schedules will be released soon.
Shafiqul Alam, Press Secretary to the Chief Advisor, revealed that a committee has also been formed to explore greater autonomy for Bangladesh Betar and BTV. He noted that past television licenses were often issued to serve the interests of a single political party, and the new committee will recommend revised licensing policies to ensure media neutrality.
He further stated, “The July Proclamation is a demand from both students and the general public. A dedicated committee, led by Planning Advisor Wahiduddin Mahmud, has been tasked with finalizing this proclamation before August 5.”
The committee will engage with political parties and stakeholders to ensure swift issuance of the proclamation, which is seen as a key component in shaping a new national consensus following the political transition.
