Reconfiguring the national memory: Bangladesh in the immediate aftermath of the July 2024 mass uprising

In July 2024, university students in Bangladesh initiated the Quota Reform Movement , demanding a merit-based system for government job recruitment. Initially ignored by the ruling Awami League government, the movement sparked widespread protest. As public unrest intensified, the movement evolved into a mass uprising by mid-July, ultimately leading to the ousting of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on 5 August. In the wake of this upheaval, Dr. Muhammed Yunus, an economist and Nobel laureate, was appointed Chief Adviser of the interim government, tasked with steering the country through the crisis. This article examines the interim government’s initiatives aimed at reshaping national memory following the uprising, particularly focusing on its mnemonic recalibrations within the country’s tumultuous political landscape. It analyzes how these initiatives are crafted to shape future narratives by rendering pre-uprising national memory of Bangladesh unwanted.