The interim government has decided to cancel the public holiday for National Mourning Day, observed on August 15. This decision was made during a Council of Advisers meeting, chaired by Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus, on Monday.
The Chief Adviser’s Office released a statement announcing that the cancellation was approved after broad consensus was reached during discussions with various political parties. Home Affairs Adviser Brigadier General (retd) M Sakhawat Hossain earlier mentioned that the decision would be finalized in the afternoon meeting. He assured that stringent security measures, including deployment of police, BGB, RAB, and possibly the army, will be in place on August 15 to maintain order.
Additionally, all student organizations, except Chhatra League, have agreed not to observe August 15 as National Mourning Day. This agreement was formalized during a meeting organized by the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement Liaison Committee at the TSC Auditorium of Dhaka University, attended by representatives from various student organizations and members of the Advisory Council.
The meeting also brought several other key decisions. The law capping the age limit for the appointment of the Bangladesh Bank Governor has been removed, aligning with practices in neighboring countries like India and Sri Lanka.
Furthermore, the interim government has decided to form a committee to compile a comprehensive list of martyrs and injured individuals from the recent student protests. This committee will also devise policies for the treatment of the injured and provide financial assistance to the families of the martyrs. The committee will include representatives from the Anti-Discriminatory Movement and various government ministries.
