The July Martyr Memorial Foundation has started providing financial assistance to the families of those killed in the mass uprising.
Cheques of Tk500,000 were handed to each of the designated 200 families at Dhaka South City Corporation’s City Hall on Saturday.
Following Dhaka, the foundation will continue to provide financial aid to the families of all martyrs and injured individuals from the uprising across other divisions of the country.
Injured individuals will receive Tk1 lakh each, distributed via bkash.
This initiative, titled "Standing by Martyr Families in Bangladesh," was launched by the July Martyr Memorial Foundation.
The first phase began at 9am on Saturday at the city hall, and after updating information, the main event commenced at 12:30pm.
A minute of silence was observed in memory of those who lost their lives in the uprising.
Until 5:30pm, two advisers from the interim government distributed cheques to 100 families in two phases.
In the first phase, Social Welfare Adviser Sharmine S Murshed handed cheques to 50 martyr families, said: "We could not do this after the Liberation War in '72 or '73. Therefore, I will say we have come a long way."
In the opening remarks, Secretary General of the July Martyr Memorial Foundation, Sarjis Alam, said that although the movement began with students, it transformed into a broader movement involving the public, resulting in the uprising of '24.
The coordinators of this movement are mainly aged between 20 and 30. Despite their limitations in experience and age, they are full of effort and enthusiasm.
Sarjis Alam acknowledged that they were unable to provide the necessary support to the injured and martyr families, said: "If necessary, we will keep this foundation alive at the cost of our lives. As long as one injured brother is alive and as long as there are family members of the martyrs."
He said that this assistance has just begun and will continue in phases.
It may include financial support, long-term rehabilitation, or securing jobs for at least one member of each martyr family.
Plans for rehabilitation of the injured and long-term honorarium are also underway.
In the second phase, Health Adviser Nurjahan Begum handed over cheques to 50 martyr families.
Information Adviser Nahid Islam and Sports Adviser Asif Mahmud also attended the event and will distribute checks to the remaining 100 families in two phases.
The July Martyr Memorial Foundation's office is located beside the Intercontinental Hotel in Shahbag.
Family members of martyrs or injured individuals can visit the office for any urgent needs or contact the foundation's emergency helpline at 16000.
As per the July Martyr Memorial Foundation, over 1,600 martyrs and 24,000 injured individuals from the July-August students’ uprising have been preliminarily identified.
They reported that the list is being verified repeatedly.
