Prime Minister Tarique Rahman formally inaugurated the July Uprising Memorial Museum in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, Dhaka, at 11 a.m. on Wednesday. Addressing a discussion after the opening, he said the 2024 uprising belonged to no single person, group or party, describing Bangladesh’s democracy-seeking people as its heroes. He said the museum would not serve to establish any single political narrative.

Rahman compared the 1971 Liberation War, which he said was for attaining independence, with the 2024 uprising, which he described as protecting the independence of the country and its people. He paid tribute to those killed in anti-fascist movements and expressed sympathy for families of the dead and injured. He said thousands of students and members of the public, women and children were killed during the July-August uprising and at least 30,000 people were injured.

The prime minister called for preserving victims’ biographies, testimonies, firsthand accounts, photographs, videos, reports, posters and digital material at the museum. He said information should be verified and presented in Bangla, English and other languages. Rahman said 50 July fighters were receiving treatment abroad, while more than 13,000 gazetted July fighters receive monthly honorariums.