Prothom Alo unveils ‘July Mass Uprising 2024’ digital archive

The movement gained momentum at the end of June 2024, and bloodshed began in mid-July when police opened fire. Six people including Abu Sayeed, a student of Begum Rokeya University, Rangpur, were killed, and that was the beginning.

Torture and repression of the youths of the movement followed with firing live ammunition and gruesome killing sprees as well.

Prothom Alo presented the events of the July mass-uprising sincerely from the beginning, kept the tally of deaths and published human stories and analysis reports.

Revolt, tragedy and bravery of the mass uprising have been highlighted in these reports. Heroic images against repression and suppression were published online and in print.

Reports, interviews, opinions, photos and videos that were published in Prothom Alo have been brought to a single place where minor details and analysis will remain accessible.

This special archive site of Prothom Alo has been named ‘July Mass-Uprising 2024’. The web address is https://services.prothomalo.com/bidrohe-biplobe/.

A meeting of Prothom Alo’s senior staff was held at its Dhaka office on Saturday to launch the archive website.

At the beginning, Prothom Alo editor Matiur Rahman highlighted the context of developing this website. He said, “We have done lots of work on the July mass uprising. We have done our best. Our journalists and photo journalists have produced their best work. Many even worked risking their lives.”

A supplement was one of Prothom Alo’s many works on the July uprising. Editor Matiur Rahman said Prothom Alo published the first supplement ‘Bidrohe Biplobe (In Revolt, In Revolution)’ on 22 August, several days after the mass uprising.

Four more supplements were also published in November 2024 on the occasion of the founding anniversary of Prothom Alo, he recalled.

Prothom Alo also organised “Camerai Bidroh (Revolt In Camera)’, a competition of photos and videos on the July uprising shot by readers. Twenty people won prizes in this competition, and these winning photos are also available on this website.

A photo journal on the July uprising has also been released. Prothoma Prokashon also published six books. Three documentaries were also produced.

Prothom Alo also organised a special exhibition at the Shilpakala Academy in Dhaka in January this year; various souvenirs of eight martyrs were also displayed at the event. Anyone can browse this website to learn about the Prothom Alo’s arrangements on the July mass uprising.

Editor Matiur Rahman said this website on the July mass uprising is a compressive presentation of all the works of Prothom Alo.

This website was made public after the meeting.

The archive website has a total of 14 sections and sub-sections. At the beginning, there is a calendar of the 36- day movement. It describes details including significant events and their summaries, dates, locations and images.

This section also has reports and photos of the significant events that were published in Prothom Alo. A glance at the data of the casualties of the July uprising followed this section.

‘Ami Ke, Tumi Ke, Rajakar Rajakar; Ke Bolecche, Ke Bolecche, Swairachar, Swairachar (Who are you, who am I? Razakar, Razakar; Who said this, who said this? Dictator, Dictator)’ was the first slogan that shook the foundation of the autocratic regime.

At that time, many such slogans made a space in regular talks of the people. A sub-section ‘Muktir Slogan (Slogan of Liberation)’ contains some selected slogans with a chronology of the event. Three documentaries made by the Prothom Alo journalists are also available there.

There are stories of 24 people, including Abu Sayeed, Mir Mahfuzur Rahman Mugdho and Farhan Fayyaz, who bravely embraced death. There are also thoughts and opinions of wise and progressive people, as well several interviews of young and elderly people.

Photos of significant events from this 36-day movement are also available on this website. One can also click on a specific option to see images of graffiti shot by the photo journalists of Prothom Alo. There are also several videos.

The last part of the website features a special exhibition on the July uprising, which was organised by Prothom Alo at the capital’s Shilpakala Academy in January last. Many souvenirs of the July uprising martyrs were also put on display at the event. Anyone can watch an appealing 360-degree virtual presentation of this event.