NCP starts ‘July Walkathon’ with visit to Abu Sayed’s grave in Rangpur
Abu Sayed's mother, Monowara Begum, patted the head and prayed for Nahid Islam, the one-point demand announcer of the July Uprising
The National Citizen Party (NCP) today (1 July) launched a nationwide "July Walkathon" to commemorate the anniversary of the July Uprising, beginning with a visit to the grave of martyred Abu Sayed and receiving blessings from his mother.
Titled "Desh Garte July Padayatra" (July Walkathon for Building the Nation), the programme will run from 1 to 30 July.
At 10:30am yesterday, NCP's central and local leaders and activists visited the grave of Abu Sayed in his village of Babanpur, under Pirganj upazila in Rangpur.
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Earlier, at midnight on 1 July, the NCP's Dhaka North City unit launched the walkathon towards Rangpur from the Banglamotor intersection in the capital.
NCP central convener Nahid Islam, member-secretary Akhtar Hossen, southern region chief organiser Hasnat Abdullah, northern region chief organiser Sarjis Alam, chief coordinator Nasiruddin Patwari, senior joint coordinator Abdul Hannan Masud, senior joint member-secretary Tasnim Zara, and others visited the grave and offered special prayers.
Following the visit, the central NCP leaders met with the family members of martyred Abu Sayed, including his parents, and inquired about their well-being.
Abu Sayed's mother, Monowara Begum, placed her hand on Nahid Islam's head and offered prayers for him.
During the time, NCP leaders reaffirmed their commitment to building the new Bangladesh envisioned by Abu Sayed through the ongoing July walkathon across the country.
"Let us be absolutely clear: if the government or anyone else believes that the thousands who once took to the streets have returned home and stepped back – you are mistaken. From the grave of Abu Sayed, we declare our resolve to reach every corner of Bangladesh," NCP convener Nahid Islam said.
"We will call upon the students, the people, and the youth of this country to once again rise and reclaim the streets," he added.
Nahid also expressed disappointment that justice has yet to be served for the killings committed during the July Uprising.
Later, the NCP leaders held a press briefing before leaving Abu Sayed's village for Sadullapur upazila in Gaibandha to begin their nationwide programme at the Shaheed Minar premises.
At a rally there, NCP convener Nahid Islam said, "No one shed blood or joined the uprising just to replace one party with another or merely to change who holds power."
He added, "In the new Bangladesh, we will no longer tolerate extortion, corruption, looting, or land grabbing."
In the afternoon, the walkathon reached Rangpur city.
The NCP leaders then visited the site in front of Begum Rokeya University in the Park Mour area, where Abu Sayed was shot by police on 16 July 2024. Later, they held a roadside rally at the central Shaheed Minar premises in Rangpur city at 3pm.
In the evening, the NCP leaders also conducted public outreach and held street meetings in Kawnia upazila of Rangpur.
Abu Sayed died on 16 July 2024 after being shot by police during the protests in Rangpur, sparking nationwide outrage, making him an icon of the July-August mass uprising.
