Nation observing state mourning on July Martyrs’ Day

Bangladesh is observing a day of state mourning on Wednesday to commemorate July Martyrs’ Day.

Abu Sayed, a student of the English department at Begum Rokeya University in Rangpur, was the first martyr of the July Uprising. He was killed on this day, and his death transformed the student-led quota reform protests into a mass rebellion that ultimately brought down Sheikh Hasina’s longstanding rule.

The Cabinet Division announced the decision to observe state mourning in a gazette notification issued on Tuesday.

According to the notification, all government, semi-government, autonomous, and educational institutions — as well as all government and private buildings across the country and Bangladeshi missions abroad — will fly the national flag at half-mast today.

As part of the observance, special prayers will be offered in mosques across the country, along with similar arrangements in other places of worship, seeking forgiveness for the souls of those killed in the mass uprising.

Earlier, on July 2, the Cabinet Division issued a separate notification officially declaring July 16 as July Martyrs' Day, to be observed annually.