July Uprising Exhibition: ‘Such event should be organised for next generation too’
Expatriate Sajjad Hossain, from Sandwaip, Chattogram, was seen standing in the ‘Shaeed Corner’ set up with regular usable items of the martyrs at the July Uprising Exhibition.
He returned home from Portugal in June last year but he was unaware of many big events of the student moment as he was staying home. Eventfully, he learned everything.
Asked on his experience at the exhibition, Sajjad Hossain said he visited the event after learning about it online. “I now regret that I should have brought my family too. Everyone could have learned many things. Many memorable things of the martyrs are giving me goosebumps. Prothom Alo tried to present the event as much as they could.”
Sadia Hasan, from the capital’s Dhamondi, studies A Level. She said, “I learned the entire history in a brief as all important and informative events have been included here. Those who are at a young age, I mean such exhibitions should be held for the next generation too. They should learn how students waged the movement by giving their lives.”
Prothom Alo organised the July Uprising Exhibition at the National Art Gallery of the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy in the capital’s Segun Bagicha to highlight the events of the July 2024 mass uprising.
The event featuring other arrangements will end on 31 January.
Four students of Mohammadpur Central Colleges were seen looking curiously at various photos at the event.
Asked how they feel, one of them Omar Rafi said, “I saw many pictures taken before 5 August in big frames and it is a different feeling. The lesson of this movement is what students can do if they want. Visiting here, I have felt that time again.”
Wishing anonymity, a female student said, “I thank the organisers for presenting the movement in such a way.”
The ‘Sotto Totthe July (July in true information)’ part of the exhibition includes newspapers and reports; the “Camerai Bidroho (Revolt in camera)’ and “July-Jagorn (July uprising)’ parts features photography; the ‘Roktakto Smarok (Blood souvenir) part displays lethal bullets, rubber bullets, grenade pins, tear shell canisters used by police during the movement; the ‘Abu Sayed: Andolon O Shilper Protik (Abu Sayed: Movement and symbol of art) part features artworks on Abu Sayed by artist Shaeed Kabir, painting equipment and video on artwork makings.
Besides, online reports, interviews and videos published in Prothom Alo during the movement were being screened in two rooms.
Ahamadullah, a senior teacher, was looking at everything at the event. He told Prothom Alo, “It feels good that the timeframe of July-August has been presented well but more pictures on torture of students could be added. Perhaps, those images are not included as they are sensitive.”
Russian citizen Kasparov visited the exhibition in the afternoon. He said, “We mainly came to learn the culture and history of other countries. This movement was a part of your lives and we learned about it too.”