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AS THE dust settles from the July 2024 uprising, the nation stands at a fateful crossroads. The movement that overthrew Sheikh Hasina’s autocratic regime was not an exercise in protest but a monumental act of courage, resilience and unity. Hundreds sacrificed their lives while many more were left with physical and emotional scars. The protesters are not only witnesses to history but also its architects. How Bangladesh treats them now will define the soul of the nation.

The question is not whether to help them but how. The injured and traumatised protesters must not be left to fend for themselves nor ever feel forgotten. Their sacrifices must be honoured, not as a favour but as a right. They deserve medical care, sustainable support of their livelihood and national recognition — all delivered with dignity and purpose. A further delay promises only the betrayal of the spirit of unity and ideals on which the July–August uprising took place.

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Lessons from Norfolk

IT WAS Ramadan and the year was 2018. A couple of us were in Norfolk, Virginia, with a host of colleagues. After a very long and exhausting day in the scorching sun, having fired thousands of rounds of ammunition on an empty stomach, we were all dying for iftar. Our destination was Bangladeshi Bistro, a popular spot, a bit far away from the firing range though. So, we booked an Uber and started off.

As it turned out, our driver was like most Americans are, conversational. Having found out that some of us were military officers, he asked what all of us were doing there and his eyes sparkled. Introducing himself as a retired US military officer, he announced that he had lost a leg in battle. Before we could say the usual ‘sorry to hear that’, he interrupted with a laugh: ‘Don’t worry about it. I have better legs now, the titanium ones! In the army, if you break me, you fix me.’

His words left us speechless. He went on to say that not only did the US military fit him with state-of-the-art prosthetics but also made sure he would never feel handicapped. And when one of us asked him why he was driving an Uber if all that was possible because of them, his reply was rather simple: ‘Because I want to. I am not disabled. So, why wouldn’t I? Besides, I get to meet new people every day.’

Reaching the restaurant, we invited him to join us for iftar. After a little reluctance, he joined and showed his prosthetic leg. One of the special forces operatives could not resist himself and said, ‘I wish I had that leg.’

That was no inspiring encounter. That was an eye-opener. It told about how the treatment of a nation toward its heroes and speaks volumes about the values it upholds. It is not about replacing what has been broken. Rather, it is about restoring dignity, empowering independence and making sure that no hero gets left behind.

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Heroes of July uprising

THE July-August protesters gave up not only their time and labour but their future, bodies, and sanity. Students, workers, parents who stood on the front lines for freedom will be much less able to make sacrifices if we are slow in bringing to them any healing they need.

For many, those wounds are still fresh. Some have lost their limbs, some their eyesight and others are still in hospital with severe injuries. To deny them medical attention is not only a health risk but a moral failure. Every passing day grinds at their pain, extends recovery and can wear away their confidence in the very nation for which they fought.

But nations like the United States and Germany show that the care of the wounded heroes is associated with a greater bond of the citizen with the state. The US veterans affairs department ensures, for example, that veterans who get injured in action receive top-notch prosthetics, therapy and lifelong support. These programmes restore functionality and ram home the message: ‘Your nation stands by you.’

Bangladesh needs to emulate a similar ethos — ensuring that protesters receive the best care available. While bringing veteran wellness affairs in a political uprising may sound off-putting, it is not when one understands and fathom the idea that these ‘unarmed heroes’ did things that some militaries cannot put together with all the state backups.

Not all wounds are visible. Countless numbers of protesters, children and young adults, carry with themselves some form of psychological trauma. They have witnessed their classmates, friends and members of the family die and they saw many, because of brutal injuries, die or disappear. This silent epidemic of post-traumatic stress disorder and trauma cannot be ignored. Comprehensive counselling services, peer support networks and community outreach programmes are vital.

In the United States, organisations such-as Combat Stress provide free mental health services for veterans. Bangladesh must follow suit, recognising that the well-being of its heroes is integral to the nation’s moral and social fabric.

The scars of the July-August uprising are not just physical. Many and their families are grappling with invisible wounds. Yet, in Bangladesh, mental health often goes unaddressed. This cannot be continued any more, not at least this time when we need everyone back on their feet and heart continue towards the finishing line towards the Bangladesh that they have sacrificed for in the first place.

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Sustainable livelihood

TRADITIONAL pension or stipends, while usefully protective, can inadvertently render recipients as icons of dependency. Bangladesh cannot afford to repeat the same mistakes made with its freedom fighters, whose political manipulation and corruption sullied their memory.

Instead, they need to be enabled to rebuild their lives. Through vocational training, education and entrepreneurship grants, they can transform from recipients of aid to contributors of society. Recognition must be meaningful and not performative. Public commemoration and school curricula should proudly indicate their sacrifice, but those endeavours should also be depoliticised. The legacy of the July uprising should be from the nation and not held by any political party.

A well-structured verification process can prevent imposters from taking advantage of support programmes, making sure that the benefits accrue only to actual protesters.

The government bears full responsibility for addressing the needs of the July protesters, but leadership in no way means going it alone. While taking decisive action, space has to be given to collaborate with political parties, institutions and civil society. It is not only strategic but a necessity to be calling the shots and inviting others to align. Political divides need to be cast aside. This is about national unity, not partisan advantage.

What the government has to guarantee is that every stakeholder works for a common objective — to honour the sacrifice of the protesters with dignity and transparency. Leadership in this case merely refers not just to setting the course but holding every contributor responsible for the same standard of integrity.

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Leveraging global partners

THESE weathers of protesters’ needs are in need of know-how and means that only international organisations can provide.Ìý The collaborations are not about outsourcing responsibility. They are about enhancing capability. But action cannot wait. While partnership is formed, the government must move swiftly to deliver results, ensuring that every step reinforces trust and avoids giving Awami League loyalists room to exploit

Justice is the bedrock of the July movement’s fight for dignity and freedom. Failing to hold Sheikh Hasina’s enforcers accountable undermines the revolution’s sacrifices and emboldens impunity. This is not vengeance. It is a commitment to the rule of law. The prosecution of those responsible for the atrocities affirms that the uprising was not in vain and restores public trust in the government.

Meanwhile, the Awami League exploits delays, using propaganda to divide revolutionaries and erode unity. Swift and decisive action is essential. Justice delivered now fortifies the movement’s legacy and blocks attempts to sow distrust and betrayal. The longer we wait, the more we give the Awami League ammunition with which it can reopen old wounds and create new scars.

History has showed that any country that respects its heroes forms unbreakable bonds between itself and its citizens. Great nations have learnt that caring for heroes is not charity. It is an investment in national character. And it means that for generations to come, citizens will not hesitate to step forward, knowing their sacrifices will be recognised and honoured.

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Path ahead

THE July uprising leaders have given Bangladesh a second chance at democracy. Now it is the turn of the nation to show solidarity with them. It is not a question of doles but about restoring dignity, rebuilding lives and strengthening the moral fibre of the nation — an immediate provision of medical facilities, including advanced prosthetics and therapy;Ìý mental health programmes for visible and invisible wounds; the empowerment of the leaders through education, training and entrepreneurship. This is necessary to keep them from becoming a burden to country, society, their families and themselves; and the acknowledgement of their sacrifices without exploitation or politicisation.

Each passing day creates risk to unity and hope that was bestowed on Bangladesh by the July-August uprising. Let this be that moment when the nation proves its thankfulness is not a transient thing and that heroes are cherished, not forgotten. Only then will Bangladesh be said to be truly honouring its past while working towards a stronger, brighter future.

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Abu Rushd, president of the Institute of Strategy and Tactics Research is the founder and editor-in-chief of the Bangladesh Defence Journal; M Zakir Hossain Khan is director of nature and integrity at the ISTR; and Salman Chowdhury is the director of the national security and external affairs at the ISTR.