Esho Desh Bodlai, Prithibi Bodlai: A visual homage to the July Uprising

The energy of the space, from the screening auditorium to the courtyard of the Press Institute of Bangladesh, was full of the energy of the July Uprising. Documentaries that tell raw stories of loss, photos of rebellious wall art, and images capturing harrowing moments of the student protests take the spotlight at the venue. 

On 18 February, the Press Institute of Bangladesh (PIB) opened its doors to a two-day exhibition showcasing short documentaries and a photo exhibition based on the July Uprising. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting organised the event as part of the Festival of Youth 2025. The festival itself was launched on 1 December 2024 and ends today.

This two-day exhibition and documentary showcase, aimed at building a new Bangladesh under the slogan, "Come, let's change the country, let's change the world", is more than a commemoration—it is a mirror held to the country's collective conscience.

The exhibition aims to raise awareness about the July Uprising to pave the way towards a new future.

"Our primary goal is justice and reform, but the greater objective is the fundamental transformation of Bangladesh's individuals, institutions, and society. However, such a transformation cannot be achieved in just one or two months or even a few months," shared Mahfuj Alam, Adviser and Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser of the Interim Government of Bangladesh.

He continues, "Instead, an awareness must emerge within society—the same awareness that drove the youth to fight, that led Abu Sayeed to take bullets to his chest. The consciousness that arises from this awareness will serve as the foundation for building a new Bangladesh. I believe 'Festival of Youth' and similar initiatives are significant."

The almost empty PIB auditorium screened several documentaries and short films—one depicting a character from Tagore's literature, another focusing on the Rohingya and the rest centred on the July Uprising.

One of the documentaries opens with a close-up of Syed Nur's weathered hands cradling a faded photograph of his son, Nurul Amin, who passed away from an injury amidst the protests during the July Uprising. 

Syed's voice, frayed by grief, narrates that he lost two daughters earlier, and now—one of his two sons. Nurul's brother, adrift in solitude, said that the police refused to register a case on his brother's murder.

Another film is about Tanvir Siddiqi, a student of Government Ashekane Awlia College. Tanvir called his father, Badsha Miah, on 18 July. 

"The quota system is unfair, and we are fighting against it. I am going to the movement, keep me in your prayers," he said in his last conversation with his father.

Badsha forbade him—fatherly fear clashing with a son's resolve. Hours later, Tanvir lay bleeding on a protest-choked street, his last breaths spent on the way to hospital.

In the documentary, Badsha cries holding Tanvir's textbooks, and his mother—with his clothes—both grieving their lost son.

Stories such as those of Nurul and Tanvir highlight the true weight of the sacrifices made during the Uprising.

Just outside the screening auditorium, the photographs displayed were a stark reminder of what the nation went through. 

Photographs of walls all over the country—splashed with defiant graffiti, and photos taken during July were one of the main attractions at the exhibition. Some show the brutality of the police and ruling forces, while others—the solidarity among the protesters, but one thing is quite evident—all these photos carry the aspiration of the July Uprising.

One eye-catching photo showcases a couple, flag in hand, joining the protests along with their child. The photograph captures the true energy of the Uprising. 

Alongside hopeful images, the exhibition also displayed photographs documenting resilient protestors. One picture captures a young man wearing a motorcycle helmet, aiming a slingshot. What truly stands out here is the sheer defiance—using a slingshot to resist bullets, tanks, and firearms amidst the chaotic scene with barricades and debris scattered on the ground.

Moments of moving acts of solidarity are also on display. Another photo depicts an individual, sitting atop another's shoulder, reaching out to pass a sip of water to those detained behind the grille of the police van. The act of solidarity amid a critical moment—the force that fueled the success of the July Uprising—is powerfully captured in this photo.

Each photo and video conveys different sides of the movement, be it the horrors of the uprising, the resilience of protestors, or the solidarity among them.