‘36 July Express’ Turns TSC into a Digital Archive of Uprising
Dhaka University’s TSC field has transformed into a symbolic digital archive of the July Uprising, with a visually immersive installation titled the 36 July Express. The stationary “intercity train” draws crowds of students and citizens who board the exhibit to witness a reconstructed narrative of Bangladesh’s political upheaval.
Upon entering the tented venue through black curtains, visitors are greeted by the slogan “We Will Not Stop on 36 July.” On either side, large digital screens simulate a moving train. As the virtual windows open one by one, viewers are greeted by digital portraits of martyrs, each labeled with names, identities, and the dates they were killed. The steady rhythmic sounds of a moving train—kuoo... jhik jhik—bring an added layer of realism to the journey.
A separate section replicates scenes from the infamous “Mirror Room,” portraying torture during interrogations. Visuals include blindfolded prisoners suspended midair, electrocutions in metal chairs, simulated extraction of teeth, scalding water therapy, and the use of bright lights and heat to torment detainees—all accompanied by the haunting sounds of cries and screams.
Since the afternoon of Tuesday, August 5, the exhibit has drawn a large audience, including university students and the general public.
Adjacent digital displays also depict the symbolic “Fall of Ganabhaban,” labeled as Fateh Ganabhaban, alongside a map marked with portraits of martyrs. The presentation spans the broader July resistance movement, including the “Shapla Square Massacre,” “Judicial Killings,” and the so-called “Wall Revolution.”
The three-day exhibition has been organized by the Bangladesh Islami Chhatra Shibir. Organizers announced that the full program includes a special visual exhibition, cycling rally, documentary screenings on the July revolution, revolutionary songs and poetry recitations, personal stories from martyr families and injured fighters, dramatic and mime performances, a planchette debate, and discussion sessions.
By digitally archiving the movement’s legacy, the 36 July Express offers a bold and immersive reminder of a transformative moment in Bangladesh’s political history.
