We are proud to launch our photo exhibition today, titled “36 DAYS OF JULY — SALUTING THE BRAVEHEARTS”, to pay our special tribute to the students and the people who have freed us from the shackles of fascism. We salute Abu Sayed and Mugdho and all others who gave their lives to end oppression. We express our solidarity with all those who have been blinded, left visually impaired, bullet-hit, physically disabled and mentally traumatised, and all those who have lost their family members, friends and loved ones.
The exhibition, being held at The Daily Star Centre till December 7, depicts how The Daily Star covered the student-people revolution, the editorial positions we took, and the articles and photos we published. The exhibition will show how our reporters, and especially the photographers, risked their lives to tell our readers and the world the stories of the sacrifice, courage and valour of our students and freedom-loving people. We are proud to say that throughout the movement we devoted our full energy and talent to reporting authentically about the brutality meted out to the ordinary people.
The exhibition will show how we reported on the events of the “36 Days of July” with sincerity, devotion and professionalism. As each day passed, we went deeper into the stories, found how cruel and heartless the regime had become, and exposed its brutalities.
Our students, with the support of the people, have vanquished fascism. They have opened new doors for freedom, for democracy, for rights and for possibilities before the people. They have opened our eyes, our hearts and our minds to new realities and potentials. The new Bangladesh is committed to truth and courage and to the freedom of expression and independence of media. It is our hope and belief that the new generation will successfully build democracy, set up a rights-based society where discriminations, injustices and abuse of power will no longer exist. It may sound a bit too idealistic but together we pledge to strive for it.
All sections of society are united in efforts to realise that goal. But regrettably there are groups within the new reality who are trying to destroy what the student-led mass uprising has achieved. We echo the concern of the government, of the student leaders and of the political parties about the disruptions, chaos and divisions that are being created. These groups are trying to impose their will on others and moving towards extreme positions to create fault lines and thereby dampen the spirit of the uprising. By spreading hatred and false narratives, they are trying to instigate violence, and by doing so, they are creating the very opposite force to what the student-people revolution needs at the moment. These groups are clouding the future prospects of the new Bangladesh.
The recent attacks and intimidation targeting The Daily Star and Prothom Alo, we think, are a part of that destabilising process. Its supremely false narrative, ideological thrust, extremist tendencies, assertions without proof, and intent to demonise two of the most respected newspapers in the country can only harm the unity and enthusiasm created by the students’ revolution and further impede our march forward.
In the new Bangladesh, let us express our thoughts, debate our divergent views and enunciate our respective philosophical, ideological and fact-based personal opinions so that we can create a more knowledge-based society. This is what we in The Daily Star have worked for and what our journalism is all about.
