In a day-long commemoration event held on Sunday, the Bangladeshi diaspora in Toronto honoured the first anniversary of the historic July uprising in Bangladesh.
The day began with a wreath-laying ceremony at the Shaheed Minar in Toronto's Danforth area, where members of the community paid tribute to the martyrs of the uprising.
Speaking at the event, the High Commissioner of Bangladesh to Canada, Nahida Sobhan, remarked: "By remembering the martyrs of July, such initiatives by the Bangladeshi diaspora abroad serve as an inspiration for the nation. This event stands as a testament to the deep love the diaspora holds for their motherland."
Later in the evening, a public program was held at the auditorium of Hope United Church (Danforth & Main Street), where High Commissioner Sobhan inaugurated an exhibition of graffiti, books, posters, and photographs documenting the uprising. "The displayed posters and photographs remind us how courageously our youth and people envisioned a new, inclusive, and humane Bangladesh during the July movement," she said. "Their sacrifices have inspired us to dream for a more just and democratic future."
Organized by the July Uprising Celebration Committee, Toronto, the event featured a community gathering, cultural performances, exhibitions, and a youth-led discussion. A minute of silence was observed in memory of the July martyrs and those who lost their lives in last month's tragic incident at Milestone School.
On behalf of the organizers, media and cultural activist Emamul Haque said: "In 2024, we stood in solidarity across Canadian cities against fascist and authoritarian forces in Bangladesh. From Toronto, we are once again remembering the martyrs who inspire the dream of a new Bangladesh."
Nasir Ud Duza, a key leader of Bangladesh's 1990 mass uprising and former assistant general Secretary of Ducsu (Dhaka University Central Students' Union), addressed the audience, stating: "The 2024 uprising was a unified eruption against misrule and absence of democracy. Students, workers, women, and people from all regions and religions stood together. We can only repay our martyrs by accelerating the transition to an equal, democratic, and secular Bangladesh."
Four young activists—Srijoni, Fatin, Mahir, and Upol also spoke at the event. "Even while living abroad, we envision a Bangladesh where justice, democratic values, economic equity, and inclusion are the foundation of governance," they shared.
The cultural segment featured performances by local artists, including Shahid Khondker Tuku, Arif Farhat, Nusrat Jahan, Mamun Kaiser, Sumon Malik, Syed Marjia Afroz, Mehrab Rahman, Sharif Ahmed and Flora Suchi. Mahbub Osmani hosted the program.
Concluding the event, Monir Raju, speaking on behalf of the July Uprising Celebration Committee, Toronto, thanked attendees and stated: "Despite misinformation and efforts to discredit this event by local sympathisers of fascist forces, today's turnout proves Toronto stands with the martyrs of July. We remain committed to upholding the spirit of the July uprising."
As a record of the event and the movement's legacy, a commemorative publication was released. At the end, artists and audience together sing the national anthem of Bangladesh.
