TDS Desk:

The July Smrity Foundation, aimed at supporting the families of July-August movement participants, was formally launched Tuesday with a Tk100 crore initial donation from the chief adviser’s relief and welfare fund.

The July-August movement saw nearly a thousand deaths of civilians, mostly students, and brought an end to the 15-year autocratic rule of Awami League over the country.

On Tuesday, Mir Mahbubur Rahman Snigdho, twin brother of martyred student Mir Mugdho, announced the official formation of the July Smrity Foundation at a press conference held at Foreign Service Academy in the capital.

Snigdho is the general secretary of the foundation while Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus is the president.

The foundation would serve seven purposes including one-time and monthly donations for the needy families of the protesters, providing medical costs for the injured and donations for the martyrs’ families.

At Tuesday’s press briefing, ICT and broadcasting adviser Nahid Islam said the task of extending financial support to the needy families would start this week.

Snigdho added that treating the wounded with financial support would also begin this week.