The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) will take full state responsibility for the families of those killed or injured during the July-August movement if it comes to power, declared BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi on Friday.
Speaking to reporters after visiting the family of Arman Molla—one of the protesters killed during last year’s mass uprising—Rizvi underscored the party’s commitment to honoring those who sacrificed their lives for democratic rights.
“Those who are now reaping the benefits of the July movement, holding advisory posts or forming new political parties, must not forget the martyrs,” Rizvi said. “Why has the interim government failed to publish a list of those whose blood laid the foundation for their administration?”
Rizvi emphasized that the rights currently being enjoyed stem from the sacrifices of ordinary citizens like Arman Molla, who was gunned down during a protest in front of the Shilmandi Union Parishad in Narsingdi on July 21, 2024.
“It is heartbreaking that the children of someone who gave his life for this nation now live in an orphanage,” Rizvi said emotionally.
He noted that Arman's widow, Salma Begum, has been left to raise their three children under dire circumstances. With no financial support, she has been forced to place their eldest daughter Mahi (10) and son Rafi (7) in an orphanage, while she struggles to care for their youngest daughter, Afra (3), at home.
The BNP leader said that Arman's story, once highlighted in the media, deeply moved Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman. “Tarique Rahman, a true leader of the people, responded immediately and sent us here under the ‘Amra BNP Poribar’ initiative to stand by Arman’s family,” he said.
Rizvi reiterated that under a BNP-led government, families of the July martyrs and the injured will be recognized and supported by the state. “We will ensure their sacrifices are not forgotten. Justice and support will be institutionalized, not symbolic,” he added.
The July-August movement last year, sparked by student and citizen-led protests demanding democratic reforms and electoral transparency, saw clashes in various parts of the country. Several protesters were injured or killed, but activists claim no official documentation or recognition has been made public by the current interim administration.
