Today marks the 5th of August, a date of immense historical significance. It has been one year since the revolutionary August that awakened a nation -- the month of resistance, of collective uprising, of shattered fear. That August reshaped our lives, challenged our philosophies, and rekindled in the youth a deep, unwavering love for our motherland -- something many of us had never realised before.
Yet, one year on, the vision of justice and reform that fuelled the July Revolution remains unfulfilled. The treatment of those who risked everything for change -- the July warriors -- has strayed far from what they deserve. The wounds remain open, the pace of justice frustratingly slow, and the roadmap to reform unclear. Political parties, especially the dominant ones, show little interest in real reform. Justice for the July genocide remains elusive, and the fugitive former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has yet to be held accountable.
Meanwhile, extortion is on the rise, and efforts to spark a counter-revolution are constant. The party responsible for violence and terror has still not been banned. The interim government is struggling to function effectively. Bureaucrats and administrators appointed by the previous regime continue to obstruct progress, clinging to their old allegiances and undermining reform. Police forces remain passive, and political parties are more invested in election strategy than in upholding the values of July.
Despite this, we must not forget: we are better off than before. Saying "things were better under Hasina" is a betrayal of the blood shed by the martyrs of July. Under that regime, we were silenced, forced to idolise figures we didn't believe in, and made to feel like exiles in our own homeland. Today, we have regained the ability to speak, to criticise, to hope.
The youth still believe in meaningful reform and remain willing to participate-if only they are given a reason to believe their voices matter. To bridge the gap between promises and progress, reform must be visible, inclusive, and result-driven. Above all, justice must be served. The former prime minister must be brought to book. Only then can we honour the sacrifice of the July fighters and truly begin to build the nation they dreamed of.
Samia Jahan Shefa
Department of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology,
Jashore University of Science and Technology
shefasamia8@gmail.com
