Editor's note

The bloodied July mass uprising that overthrew the authoritarian government of the Awami League in August 2024, forcing the entire set of League leaders, including its chief Sheikh Hasina, to flee the country, has ushered in new possibilities of effecting the democratisation of the Bangladeshi state and society. However, the mass uprising, which is a result of some 15 years of sporadic political movements against autocracy, has generated different kinds of hope among different sections of people, for different kinds of aspirations emanating from different sections of the democratically oriented society propelled the uprising to its victory. Meanwhile, the interim government of the Nobel peace laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus, installed by the active support of those who fought for democracy for a decade and a half, has taken up certain reforms programmes to democratise the state and governance that are yet to produce any substantive result.

Under such a circumstance, New Age made the attempt to celebrate the anniversary of the successful political struggle that ousted an autocratic government and, at the same time, remind the authorities concerned of the amount of people’s sacrifice, particularly that of the youth, which made it happen. Hence is a special magazine, People’s July, in which our writers have critically assessed from different perspectives the successes and failures of the interim administration in realising the hopes and aspirations of the people. They have also underlined the ways forward. We leave the judgement to our valued readers.

​

Nurul Kabir,

Editor, New Age