Justice Delayed: Bangladesh’s July Uprising Cases Face Stalling Investigations
Nearly two years after the tumultuous July Mass Uprising in Bangladesh, investigations into a staggering 86% of the 1,862 cases filed remain incomplete. This significant delay highlights deep-seated challenges in the pursuit of justice for the deaths and injuries that occurred during the unrest.
Police have submitted reports in only 254 cases, a mere 13.64% of the total. A major obstacle is that many bodies were buried without post-mortem examinations. Forensic reports are crucial in murder cases, but exhuming bodies long after burial makes it difficult to determine the exact cause of death, such as gunshot wounds.
Administrative complexities also contribute to the slowdown. These include inconsistent crime scene descriptions and multiple cases filed for the same victim. Investigators also struggle to identify many victims who were buried as unknown persons.
A concerning issue is the widespread practice of indiscriminately naming accused individuals. Many innocent people were implicated due to personal rivalries, business disputes, political vendettas, or even for financial gain. The Ministry of Home Affairs acknowledged this problem, issuing a warning in October 2024 against filing cases with ulterior motives.
For instance, in the murder case of 17-year-old Rita Akter, 395 people were accused, including the former Prime Minister. Rita’s father admitted he signed an accused list prepared by others, for money, without knowing many of the names. Police investigations have found no evidence linking some prominent accused to the killing.
Of the 1,862 total cases, only 199 charge sheets have been submitted, while 55 cases were closed after no evidence was found. Separately, 799 murder cases name over 327,000 individuals, and 1,063 injury cases name nearly 283,000.
During the intense days of the uprising, information on casualties was poorly preserved by hospitals and authorities. Human rights activists reported interference from police and political groups, hindering medical treatment and leading to bodies being buried without proper identification. Many hospital records were destroyed.
Former Inspector General of Police Md. Abdul Kaiyum emphasized the need for committees to oversee investigations, set deadlines, and ensure police independence from political influence. He stressed that charges should only be based on strong evidence to prevent further harassment of innocent people.
