Govt begins providing financial aid to families of July martyrs, injured
CA Yunus hands over cheques to families of 21 martyrs and seven injured individuals
The interim government has begun providing financial assistance to the families of the martyrs and injured of the student-led mass uprising that ousted the "autocratic" Awami League regime in July-August of last year.
Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus officially inaugurated the disbursement initiative during an event at his office in Dhaka's Tejgaon today (10 February).
He handed over cheques to the families of 21 martyrs and seven injured individuals at the event.
"I believe that the sacrifices of those who made it possible for us to call this country a new Bangladesh cannot be measured by any scale," said Yunus.
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Describing the injured and martyrs of the July uprising as "creators of history", he said, "You are living history. From the depths of my heart, I express my gratitude to you. A nation that cannot remember its history cannot truly become a nation. This recognition is an expression of the nation's gratitude to you."
Addressing the martyrs' families and the injured, the chief adviser said from today, they [the families] were officially a part of the government. "This is an institutional recognition. Beyond this, society as a whole must also take responsibility for you."
The government has decided to honour the martyrs of the July uprising as "July Martyrs" and the injured as "July Warriors".
Each martyr's family will receive a one-time financial grant of Tk30 lakhs, Tk10 lakhs through national savings bonds in FY 2024-25 and Tk20 lakhs in July 2025-26.
Additionally, families will receive a monthly stipend of Tk20,000, and eligible family members will get priority in government and semi-government jobs.
The July Warriors will receive benefits under two medical categories.
Category A (Severely injured):
- One-time financial aid of Tk500,000 – Tk200,000 in FY 2024-25 and Tk300,000 in FY 2025-26.
- Monthly allowance of Tk20,000.
- Lifetime treatment at government hospitals and foreign medical assistance if recommended by a board.
- Rehabilitation and job training.
Category B (Moderately injured):
- One-time financial aid of Tk300,000 — Tk100,000 in FY 2024-25 and Tk200,000 in FY 2025-26.
- Monthly allowance of Tk15,000.
- Priority in government/semi-government employment and necessary training.
July Warriors will receive ID cards to access government benefits. The government has so far published an official gazette listing 834 martyrs, and the list of the injured will be released soon.
Addressing justice for killings and enforced disappearances, Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus said, "Justice must be fair, not rushed. This struggle and sacrifice were made to prevent injustice. We will hand criminals over to law enforcement, but those who are not criminals should be rehabilitated. This country belongs to all of us, and together, we must build a better future."
He urged the July Martyrs' families and July Warriors to remain vigilant against violence and conflict.
During the meeting, three martyr families and three warriors shared their experiences, demanding justice, state recognition, financial support, and rehabilitation. They broke into tears while recalling their ordeal.
Present at the event were Liberation War Affairs Adviser Farooq-e-Azam, Health Adviser Nurjahan Begum, Information and Broadcasting Adviser Nahid Islam, and Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser Dr Sayedur Rahman.
