TDS Desk:

July Martyrs Memorial Foundation General Secretary has said the organization will give assistance to 200 families every week.

Sarjis Alam, also a key coordinator of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, during a press briefing in front of the foundation’s offices on Friday said that starting Saturday, it will begin providing financial assistance to families of those killed and injured during the movement in July and August.

The assistance will be offered under the title “Standing by the Families of Martyrs.”

Sarjis said: “We will deliver assistance to 200 individuals in four phases from morning to afternoon each week. This initiative will start in Dhaka and will eventually expand to assist martyrs’ families in all eight divisions.”

He added that initially, each martyr’s family will receive Tk5 lakh, while injured individuals will Tk1 lakh.

“If there are no issues within a martyr’s family, the funds will be disbursed collectively. In case of any disputes within the family, the legal wing will handle the situation. Large fund distributions will be made via cheques, while smaller amounts will be sent through mobile money service bKash.”

Sarjis reported that various fake numbers have been calling the families of the martyrs.

“Calls are being made [by the foundation] only from 16000 to the martyrs’ families. We are working in a way that allows us to account for every penny distributed. Unofficially, there are about 24,000 injured individuals and over 1,600 deceased, which is being verified. The foundation will also work on rehabilitating the injured.”