A United Nations expert has commended the forensic analysis of 114 unidentified bodies from the July 2024 protests in Bangladesh, describing it as essential for pursuing justice and accountability. UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary, or arbitrary executions, Morris Tidball-Binz, visited Dhaka to provide technical advice on forensic investigations. He affirmed that the analysis aligns with the Minnesota Protocol, which mandates states to thoroughly investigate suspicious deaths, emphasizing the importance of identifying human remains.
The efforts to identify the victims began with the exhumation and forensic analysis by the Criminal Investigation Department on December 7, 2024. This process included DNA analysis conducted in a temporary mortuary, following the violent response to mass protests where more than 300 lost their lives, and 20,000 were injured. The protests were triggered by the reinstatement of a government quota that protesters argued favored supporters of the ruling party.
The government’s initial response included stringent measures such as curfews and a contentious “shoot-on-sight order” against protestors. This led to severe casualties, and subsequent political turmoil resulted in the resignation and flight of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Recently, the International Crimes Tribunal in Dhaka sentenced Hasina and her interior minister to death for crimes against humanity related to the crackdown on protesters, further underscoring the gravity of the situation. An additional report highlights that an arrest warrant was also issued for Hasina’s son, Sajeeb Wazed Joy.
Civil society organizations in Bangladesh, such as Manobadhikar Sangskriti Foundation, have drawn attention to the deteriorating human rights environment marked by economic challenges, political strife, and human rights abuses, including enforced disappearances. Saidur Rahman, director of MSF, emphasized that each unidentified body represents a family’s ongoing distress and underscored the loss of public confidence in safety and law through the absence of effective investigations.
These developments not only signify a critical juncture in Bangladesh’s efforts to address justice but also offer an opportunity to bolster the country’s forensic and medico-legal capacities in accordance with international standards.