Social welfare adviser Sharmin S Murshid on Saturday in Rangpur said that one lakh heroic freedom fighters of 1971 did not get justice during the post-independence period.
鈥楢mong them, 90 per cent were rural boys and girls. They had to return to villages empty-handed and barefoot. They were not used to build the country which was unfair. But in 2024, the heroic children will be identified and given proper dignity,鈥� she said.
Sharmin was speaking at the function, organised by July Shaheed Smrity Foundation, to hand over cheques to the families of martyrs of Rangpur division in the July-August anti-discrimination student movement as chief guest.
CEO of the foundation Mahbubur Rahman Snigdho moderated the function at district Shilpakala academy auditorium.
Sharmin Murshid, also women and children affairs adviser, said that the history of Bangladesh was the result of the struggle of the student-people.
鈥榃e got independence, a country and a flag in 1971. But the dream of independence was not fulfilled because equality, justice and accountability were not established,鈥� she said.
She said that the list of the injured and martyred in the July-August uprising was being prepared transparently.
鈥楽ome people may think that by telling the story of Shaheed Abu Sayeed, we are forgetting other martyrs, it鈥檚 wrong. We are not doing this.聽 Shaheed Abu Sayeed can be a symbol and he represents everyone. We may be wrong in our words and actions, so you [people] will get angry with us, criticize us and even scold us. But do not turn your back. We want to move forward by correcting mistakes,鈥� she added.
Fisheries and livestock adviser Farida Akhter said that Shaheed Abu Sayeed of Rangpur had made Bangladesh known as a symbol of courage all over the world. He created an awakening among the people across the globe.
Later, the Shaheed Smrity Foundation鈥檚 financial assistance cheques of Tk 5,00,000 were distributed to each of the families of 44 martyrs out of 65 people who were martyred in Rangpur division in the 2024 mass uprising.
General secretary of the foundation Md Sarjis Alam, Rangpur range DIG Aminul Islam, deputy commissioner Mohammad Rabiul Faisal, superintendent of police Mohammad Sharif Uddin and Shamsi Ara Zaman Koli, mother of martyred journalist Tahir Zaman Priyo, also addressed the function.