One year after the uprising: Ganatantrik Odhikar Committee reflects on interim government’s response

One year after the historic July uprising, survivors and victims' families continue to express concerns about the interim government's progress. A recent Ganatantrik Odhikar Committee event reflected on the government's response to urgent issues like victim rehabilitation, justice, and governance reforms.

Today (9 August), the committee held a meeting reviewing the interim government's first year. Chaired by Professor Anu Muhammad, speakers including Kollol Mostofa, Mosahida Sultana Ritu, Akram Khan, and Farhana Sharmin Imu discussed governance, economic challenges, cultural issues, and the July victims' healthcare.

During his speech, Kollol Mostofa emphasised that the uprising gave voice to demands for justice and equality across class, gender, religion, and ethnicity, yet the government's response has been fragmented and insufficient. 

"Victims are forced back onto the streets to fight for what should have been guaranteed," he said, pointing to the lack of a coordinated rehabilitation plan for the injured.

With over 22,000 families affected by the violence in July, Architect Farhana Sharmin Imu raised concerns about the puzzling issue of multiple government agencies maintaining conflicting victim lists. 

She questioned, "Why do the mostly working-class injured seem to fall off the priority list?", highlighting possible class-based neglect.
Dhaka University academic Mosahida Sultana raised serious concerns about a government database initially designed to aid workers. Instead, she explained, it is now reportedly used to blacklist labor activists, barring them from employment.

Despite the formation of eleven commissions, she lamented the absence of any meaningful employment or financial policy to address Bangladesh's growing unemployment crisis.

Adding to the picture of systemic repression, garment worker leader Monir Rahman Momin revealed that over 20,000 lawsuits against workers remain unresolved, exacerbating worker vulnerabilities. 

Former general manager of the rural electrification board, Engineer  Zulfikar, expressed frustration that despite government's acceptance of rural workers' demands, progress on implementation remains lacking.

Filmmaker Akram Khan painted a stark picture of cultural expression becoming another casualty. He described a state-driven cultural war that marginalises grassroots voices, highlighted severe budget cuts in cultural sectors, and spoke of rising unemployment and growing self-censorship among artists.

Concerns over political violence and judicial interference resonated in Kollol Mostofa's remarks. He pointed to persistent politicisation in the judiciary, where bail and case outcomes appear heavily influenced by power. 

While cases involving elites are swiftly resolved, ordinary citizens face prolonged delays and injustice.

In closing, Professor Anu Muhammad raised alarms over unchecked mega-projects dependent on foreign loans and secretive international agreements that jeopardize national sovereignty. 

"These opaque deals and distorted narratives betray public trust and undermine democratic aspirations," he warned.

He also condemned ongoing mob violence and criticised the government's failure to repeal repressive laws that have lingered for decades. 

"Special powers laws remain intact, perpetuating ethnic, religious, gender, and economic discrimination that runs counter to the uprising's spirit," he added.

Muhammad called on the military to end the use of cultural institutions as barracks and urged comprehensive justice system reforms to ensure impartiality. "Only through sincere coordination and reform can free and fair elections restore hope for the public," he concluded.