873 killed during July-Aug Movement: Adviser

Health Adviser Nurjahan Begum on Sunday highlighted the toll of the anti-discrimination movement, revealing that 873 individuals lost their lives, and over 21,000 were injured, reports UNB.

Speaking at a meeting titled Involvement of NGOs in Health Services organized by the NGO Affairs Bureau on Sunday, Noorjahan urged collective efforts to rehabilitate the injured and support those left disabled or jobless.

She called on NGOs to identify individuals who have been overlooked in receiving medical care or have lost their livelihoods due to injuries, such as rickshaw pullers who can no longer work. "Of the 21,000 injured, 40 have lost their eyesight. What future awaits them? These individuals are our own people. We must stand by them during their mental and emotional trauma," she said.

The Health Adviser emphasized the shared responsibility of government and NGOs to integrate the injured into education and the workforce. "Seventy percent of those injured are common citizens, including rickshaw and van pullers, while the rest are students," she added.