Mir Mahbubur Rahman Snigdho yesterday stepped down from his role as the chief executive officer (CEO) of the July Shaheed Smriti Foundation saying he needs to prioritise his studies.

He made the announcement at a press conference in front of the state guest house Jamuna after a meeting. Snigdho said he will continue to serve as a member of the foundation's governing body.

Snigdho is the twin brother of July uprising martyr Mir Mugdho.

Meanwhile, the board has appointed Lt Col (retd) Kamal Akbar as the new CEO of the foundation.

However, at the press briefing, Md Moniruddin, father of Shaikh Ashhabul Yamin, who was martyred during the July uprising, protested the appointment. He claimed the newly-appointed CEO does not belong to a martyr's family.

Before handing over responsibilities, Snigdho outlined the foundation's future plans and disclosed its expenditures from inception on August 10, 2024 till April 2025.

In total, the foundation has disbursed over Tk 101.71 crore to families of the 759 martyred and 5,437 injured, said a press release of the foundation.

He said plans are on motion to construct flats for the rehabilitation of the families of martyrs and the injured. Health cards will be provided to ensure proper medical treatment for the children and parents of martyr families. Furthermore, based on qualifications, training, rehabilitation, and employment opportunities will be arranged for members of the families of martyrs and the injured.

The foundation's office space has been expanded to accommodate its growing operations, and a call centre has been launched to better serve families. Additionally, legal support and psychosocial treatment are being provided.

An inter-ministerial coordination mechanism has been established to speed up medical treatment for these families. The foundation has also partnered with various private organisations to ensure more effective assistance.

Ahsan Habib, the foundation's finance secretary, said that the foundation initially received Tk 100 crore from the government and an additional Tk 16 crore from other donors.

According to the MIS list, 852 martyr families have been recognised so far. Of them, 759 have received financial assistance, over 90 percent coverage. Each family received a Tk 5 lakh grant, totalling Tk 37.95 crore.

Of the 14,592 injured individuals, 5,437 have received aid, about 37 percent. The amount distributed among the injured totals Tk 54.71 crore.

After these disbursements, a balance of Tk 16.30 crore remains with the foundation. However, the finance secretary said that the remaining funds are insufficient to cover aid for those yet to receive support.

"We have approached the government and private institutions for the required fund," Habib said.