Staff Correspondent:

The interim government has decided to observe 5 August as student-people’s uprising day. It will be a public holiday.

Cultural affairs adviser Mostofa Sarwar Farooki disclosed this information in a press conference held at the Foreign Service Academy in the capital on Thursday.

The briefing was held to inform the media about the decisions taken at on Thursday advisory council meeting. The cultural affairs adviser said that 5 August will be observed every year as the student-people’s uprising day, and it will be declared a public holiday.

Mostofa Sarwar Farooki said that a series of programmes will commence on 1 July to commemorate the July mass uprising. He said the programmes will begin on 1 July, but the main events will start from 14 July and continue until 5 August.

The cultural affairs adviser said, “The main objective of our programme is to revive the spirit of unity that swept across the country in July. Work is underway on several initiatives to bring back that feeling.”

Farooki said the chief adviser’s press wing will provide details in this regard next Monday.

Chief adviser’s press secretary Shafiqul Alam said nine advisers joined today’s meeting. Decisions on two significant issues were finalised today.

A committee has been formed over the autonomy of Bangladesh Betar (radio) and Bangladesh Television (BTV). The committee will be headed by education adviser CR Abrar.

Another committee has been formed on the declaration of the July charter.

He said the July Charter is a demand of the student-people’s uprising movement.

A committee has been formed to ensure the charter is announced before 5 August. The committee will be led by planning adviser Wahiduddin Mahmud, with several other advisors as members. To prepare the July Charter quickly, the committee will work in coordination with students and political parties. Other members of the press wing were present in the briefing.