No special day to be observed on 8 August: Advisory Council

The Advisory Council has decided to observe 16 July as ‘July Martyrs Day’ and 5 August as ‘July Mass-uprising Day’ while no special day on 8 August.

The decision was taken at a meeting today, Sunday.

Sheikh Hasina government was toppled in a student-led mass uprising on 5 August last year. Three days later, on 8 August, an interim government led by professor Muhammad Yunus took oath.

Earlier on 25 June, a circular issued from the Cabinet Division stated that the government has declared 5 August as ‘July Mass Uprising Day’ and 8 August as ‘New Bangladesh Day’.The government also declared 16 July as ‘Martyr Abu Sayeed Day’.

Abu Sayeed, a student of the English department at Begum Rokeya University in Rangpur, became the first person killed—shot dead—during the student movement that began in July last year demanding reform of the quota system in government jobs. He was the first martyr of the July mass uprising.

Three senior leaders of the National Citizens’ Party (NCP)—Sarjis Alam, Hasnat Abdullah, and Akhtar Hosen—raised objections over declaring 8 August as 'New Bangladesh Day.'

The advisory council has now decided that no special day will be observed on 8 August. Instead, July 16 will be observed as 'July Martyrs’ Day.'