Justice still elusive for July victims

Expressing frustration over the slow judicial process, families of July uprising martyrs and injured at an event yesterday demanded swift trials of the perpetrators and justice for the victims.

"After the fall of Sheikh Hasina's regime, we hoped we would get justice immediately. Even after a year, the minimum progress expected has not been achieved," said Samsi Ara Zaman, mother of martyred journalist Tahir Zaman Priyo.

She made the remarks at a dialogue organised yesterday by the Bangladesh Institute of Planners (BIP) to mark the one-year anniversary of the 2024 uprising.

Junaid Islam, a student of Jahangirnagar University, said, "The July uprising represented the people's expectations for the freedom of expression, the restoration of their rights, and the establishment of an impartial judicial system. It is imperative that all work together to realise these goals."

Demanding justice for uprising victims, Sabbir Ahmed Lyon, a former student, said, "Just as people united for a discrimination-free Bangladesh, we must continue to work collectively to build a society founded on equality and justice."

PIB Director General Faruk Wasif said, "After the July uprising, due to a lack of proper planning, there is widespread disappointment. Public trust in this government has declined because of a mentality of wanting immediate results."

Presiding over the dialogue, BIP President Prof Adil Muhammad Khan said, "Even after half a century of independence, equality, human dignity, and social justice have not been fully realised. The 2024 mass movement opened doors to new possibilities, and it is crucial to continue working toward a discrimination-free and well-planned Bangladesh."