Bangladesh Defense
Saif
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Police should expedite July atrocity case investigation
SLOW progress in police investigation of the cases filed over atrocities that the then government officials, law enforcement agency personnel and leaders and activists of the fallen Awami League and their associates are reported to have committed during the July 2024 uprising is worrying. In all, 1,866 cases, as New Age reported on August 8, were filed in connection with the July atrocities. But the police have so far completed investigations of only 14.36 per cent of the cases, two years after the event. The number of murder cases filed is 802, as official police data covering the period from September 1, 2024 to August 2, 2026 show, but the police could complete the investigation of only 103 cases, which accounts for 12.84 per cent of the total. The remaining 1,064 cases filed in connection with the atrocities involve offences including attempted murder and violence punishable under the Anti-Terrorism Act. The police could complete the investigation of 165 such cases, which account for 15.50 per cent of the total. Official prison data show that 465 people were in jail between September 1, 2024 and July 30, 2026 in connection with July murder cases. Three hundred and seventy-one more were detained in attempted murder cases, 414 in cases filed under the Anti-Terrorism Act and 68 in sedition cases.
Investigators blame the complexity of the cases for the slow progress. The issues include case fabrication, the burial of victims without post-mortem examinations, a large number of people being named as accused in individual cases and difficulty in tracing witnesses and suspects. A case, for an example, filed by a Students Against Discrimination coordinator with the police in Cumilla named three deceased Awami League leaders. A police official says that in some instances, some people were implicated although they had not been present at the scene. The police say that they find it difficult to locate many victims as they were buried without post-mortem examinations. The fact that many named in the cases are floating people or residents of slums also makes it difficult to locate the accused. Many cases have named 400–500 people as accused, which makes it difficult to verify the involvement of each individual. In many instances, several cases were filed in connection with the same incidents. Many witnesses now appear unwilling to give deposition. Delay or slow progress in investigation harms the dispensation of justice, for both the victims and the accused and their families. A senior police official says that field-level investigators have been given the responsibility for the investigation and the headquarters would resume close monitoring of the cases. But the police should have already started doing this.
The delay in the investigation has already been inordinate. The police should expedite the investigation without further wasting time.
SLOW progress in police investigation of the cases filed over atrocities that the then government officials, law enforcement agency personnel and leaders and activists of the fallen Awami League and their associates are reported to have committed during the July 2024 uprising is worrying. In all, 1,866 cases, as New Age reported on August 8, were filed in connection with the July atrocities. But the police have so far completed investigations of only 14.36 per cent of the cases, two years after the event. The number of murder cases filed is 802, as official police data covering the period from September 1, 2024 to August 2, 2026 show, but the police could complete the investigation of only 103 cases, which accounts for 12.84 per cent of the total. The remaining 1,064 cases filed in connection with the atrocities involve offences including attempted murder and violence punishable under the Anti-Terrorism Act. The police could complete the investigation of 165 such cases, which account for 15.50 per cent of the total. Official prison data show that 465 people were in jail between September 1, 2024 and July 30, 2026 in connection with July murder cases. Three hundred and seventy-one more were detained in attempted murder cases, 414 in cases filed under the Anti-Terrorism Act and 68 in sedition cases.
Investigators blame the complexity of the cases for the slow progress. The issues include case fabrication, the burial of victims without post-mortem examinations, a large number of people being named as accused in individual cases and difficulty in tracing witnesses and suspects. A case, for an example, filed by a Students Against Discrimination coordinator with the police in Cumilla named three deceased Awami League leaders. A police official says that in some instances, some people were implicated although they had not been present at the scene. The police say that they find it difficult to locate many victims as they were buried without post-mortem examinations. The fact that many named in the cases are floating people or residents of slums also makes it difficult to locate the accused. Many cases have named 400–500 people as accused, which makes it difficult to verify the involvement of each individual. In many instances, several cases were filed in connection with the same incidents. Many witnesses now appear unwilling to give deposition. Delay or slow progress in investigation harms the dispensation of justice, for both the victims and the accused and their families. A senior police official says that field-level investigators have been given the responsibility for the investigation and the headquarters would resume close monitoring of the cases. But the police should have already started doing this.
The delay in the investigation has already been inordinate. The police should expedite the investigation without further wasting time.
