The government has issued an ordinance aiming to institutionalize the ideals and spirit of the July Mass Uprising in the nation’s governance and collective memory, as well as to ensure the welfare and rehabilitation of the families of those martyred and the July fighters. The ordinance was signed on Tuesday, June 17, by Dr. Hafiz Ahmed Chowdhury, Secretary of the Ministry of Law, Justice, and Parliamentary Affairs.

The ordinance acknowledges that the oppressive, racist, and discriminatory policies of the former Pakistani regime, along with the indiscriminate massacre of the people of Bangladesh, made the Liberation War inevitable. In 1971, the people of Bangladesh fought a bloody war to establish an independent state founded on the principles of equality, human dignity, and social justice. However, even after more than fifty years of independence, the aspirations for a just, dignified, and equitable democratic state remain unfulfilled.

It further notes that since January 2009, under the authoritarian rule of the Awami League, rampant politicization, corruption, and nepotism have rendered the country’s institutions dysfunctional. The regime has used force to suppress opposition voices, engaged in enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings, facilitated widespread money laundering and looting, and created deep economic disparities. Women and minorities have faced systemic violence, and the people’s rights to free expression and voting have been stripped away, putting national interests and sovereignty at risk and causing grave public concern.

The ordinance recounts that in July 2024, under the leadership of anti-discrimination student movements, a mass uprising emerged from years of accumulated frustration under 15 years of fascism and impunity. This movement transcended party lines, religions, genders, and social divisions, eventually forcing the authoritarian ruler to flee the country on August 5, 2024.

The uprising saw widespread participation of both men and women, and thousands of unarmed patriotic students and citizens across the country were martyred. Countless others were severely injured or traumatized by brutal repression. The ordinance emphasizes the nation’s moral obligation to properly honor these sacrifices and to preserve their memory as a proud chapter in the ongoing struggle for democracy and state reconstruction.

It affirms that the interim government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh is committed to recognizing, honoring, and ensuring the welfare and rehabilitation of the July martyrs, injured fighters, and their families. In the absence of an active parliament and considering the urgency of the situation, the President has enacted and promulgated this ordinance under Article 93(1) of the Constitution of Bangladesh.