Why the hold-up in listing uprising martyrs?

During the July-August mass uprising, countless students and civilians sacrificed their lives bravely. They faced gunfire with immense courage. We are immensely proud of them. They freed us from years of fascist rule and paved the way for a new political environment. However, even after five months of the July uprising, many martyrs' names have not yet been listed.

This is both a source of grief and deep shame for us. Since the uprising, there has been an overwhelming focus on a few specific martyrs, while others are almost forgotten. The families of these martyrs are deeply frustrated by this.

On Wednesday (January 8), media reports revealed that the families of the martyrs are still in mourning. Some are grieving the loss of children, some a husband, and others a father. Along with the pain of losing loved ones, some also feel a sense of 'regret.' The reason for this regret is the failure to see their loved ones' names on the martyr list and the lack of government assistance.

In the meantime, the first list of martyrs from the uprising has been released. The list contains the names of 826 martyrs, including 12 from Sylhet. However, four individuals from this district are missing from the list. Their families have applied for assistance and inclusion, but there has been no progress. No one is taking any interest in their plight, which has left these four families disappointed.

The situation for these martyr families in Sylhet is no different from many others across the country. While grieving the loss of loved ones, they are also facing harassment in their attempts to claim their rightful benefits. Many injured protesters, in particular, are still not receiving proper care, and they have held protests for this reason. There are also complaints that the names of many injured individuals have not been included in the list. If martyrs’ names are still missing, who will even care about the injured, they lament.

Meanwhile, a few of the July martyrs have found their way into textbooks, and documentaries are being made about several of them. Many martyr families have raised concerns about this discrimination. They question: why this discrimination? All martyrs deserve equal respect, regardless of their prominence. Why are some being honored while others are neglected?

We share the same question: why have many martyrs' names still not been included in the list even after five months? During this time, the state has undertaken numerous major tasks, and many high-ranking officials have been appointed. Preparations are underway for documentaries and films about the July Uprising. So why are those who sacrificed their lives, whose blood paved the way for the formation of this new state, being neglected?

Many have ascended to significant positions on the backs of the martyrs' blood, and the coordinators and advisors should not forget this. We demand that all martyrs' names be included in the list without further delay. The state must take responsibility for caring for all the families of the martyrs from the July Uprising and ensure proper care for the injured as well.