Navine Murshid

While the July Uprising was sparked by economic problems, political repression, and a desire for democracy, it found a strong and surprising voice in a new form of music for Bangladesh: rap. Two songs, “Kotha Ko” (Speak Up) and “Awaz Utha” (Raise Your Voice), came to represent the sentiment of the movement in July.

Anyone familiar with Bangladesh and its culture knows how important his poems and songs are in celebrating our heritage.

The July Uprising has brought to the forefront the need for a more inclusive understanding of 1971, one that incorporates the perspectives of ordinary people and addresses unresolved issues of justice, accountability, and historical truth, independent of political manoeuvring.

In the waning days of 1971, the Pakistani army and their collaborators embarked on a chilling campaign to systematically eliminate the nation’s brightest minds – academics, doctors, journalists, artists – those who had dared to dream of an independent Bangladesh and articulate its promise.

We all know that 10 million people—one-seventh of the population in 1971—fled to India during our War of Independence in 1971. While there has been some work