In face of backlash, govt reverses course on marking Aug 8 as ‘New Bangladesh Day’The government has decided not to hold “New Bangladesh Day”, one of the three national days it had announced to commemorate the July Uprising. It was also decided to change the name of “Martyr Abu Sayed Day” on Jul 16 to “July Martyrs Day”. Aug 5 had been declared “July Mass Uprising Day” to commemorate the day the Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League government was ousted, while Jul 16 was “Martyr Abu Sayed Day” to memorialise the death of the quota reform protester shot dead by police in a turning point for the nation. Aug 8, on the other hand, had been named “New Bangladesh Day” to mark the day the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government took power. The announcement of “New Bangladesh Day” drew widespread backlash on social media, with many saying that the government had not fulfilled the aspirations of the students and the public who led the uprising.
