Anu Muhammad, a retired professor from the department of economics at Jahangirnagar University, has said that a significant number of workers who participated in the July uprising are not adequately represented in the available documentation.
"But many of those killed were workers," he said. "The death toll is in the hundreds. Additionally, a large portion of those identified as students are the children of working families."
He cited the example of Abu Sayeed, saying: "The death of Abu Sayeed caused a significant stir in the movement. Abu Sayeed, too, was the son of a working-class family."
Anu Muhammad made these remarks during a discussion titled "Student-People’s Uprising: Democratic State and Workers’ Rights," organized by the publishing house Samajpath yesterday afternoon. The event was held at the Sirajul Islam Lecture Hall of Dhaka University.
Other participants included North South University teacher Shahzad Firoz, writer and activist Tuhin Khan, labor organizer Satyajit Biswas, jute mill worker Alamgir Hossain, garment worker Md. Uday, student activist and tea worker organizer Tanzila Begum, rickshaw worker organizer Obaidul Islam, and student movement organizer Sujoy Shuvo.
Prof Anu Muhammad noted that the number of people injured and killed during the two to three weeks of unrest is unprecedented in history. "No previous movement has resulted in so many deaths or injuries in such a short time. Hundreds were mutilated."
He expressed concern that the workers injured in the uprising are not receiving proper medical care. "Most of the injured are in no condition to seek treatment. These workers and their children are financially destitute, lying in hospitals without adequate care. They are being asked to pay for surgeries and buy medicines. But where will they find the money? Who will provide it?"
He also noted that the uprising garnered widespread public support, with its largest base consisting of the middle class, lower-middle class, and even impoverished families.
Anu Muhammad further said that 85% of Bangladesh's workforce is not directly involved in formal employment. "They work under constant threat from the police and extortionists, without any job security. Many of these workers participated in the uprising because they must work, they must remain on the streets."
Regarding the country's economic situation, he said: "Everyone knows the GDP figures are misleading. There is no transparent account of how much the working class is contributing or how much the state is allocating for them. But to establish a democratic state, workers' demands must be addressed."
He emphasized that democratic governance cannot be achieved unless four types of discrimination—class, ethnic, religious, and gender—are eliminated. "The interim government has yet to initiate any discussions to address these inequalities."
North South University teacher Shahzad Firoz added: "The movement started under the banner of 'No Discrimination' is fundamentally a question of justice. If the neoliberal economy continues in this country, the state will provide no services to the people—how, then, will inequality be eradicated from society?"
Writer and activist Tuhin Khan said: "Following the July uprising, there has been much discussion about inequality. However, little attention is being paid to the long-standing discrimination against workers. I also see no genuine initiative from this government to address it. How is a family supposed to survive on a salary of just Tk 8,000?"
He stressed the need for reforms in the labor and education sectors, as well as the formation of a Labour Council, arguing that workers are the country's main driving force.
Satyajit Biswas added that democratic governance is meaningless without workers' trade union rights and real opportunities for workers to participate in national and local elections.
