In Shariatpur’s Vedarganj upazila, the family of July movement martyr Md. Jalal Uddin is struggling with severe financial hardship two years after his death. Jalal, a small trader from Maniknagar, Dhaka, was killed by police gunfire on July 20, 2024, during a curfew imposed amid an anti-discrimination student movement. His elder son, Sizan, now 14, has been unable to continue his studies at Maniknagar Ideal School because the family cannot afford the admission fee.

Jalal’s widow, Mili Akter, said she received limited financial help after her husband’s death—20,000 taka from the government and occasional assistance from Jamaat-e-Islami. She now works at a private hospital for a small salary while supporting her two sons and mother-in-law. Local political leaders and the Vedarganj upazila administration acknowledged Jalal’s sacrifice and said his family is given priority when government aid becomes available.

The family continues to seek justice for Jalal’s killing and hopes for regular state support for families of those who died in the July movement.