BANGLADESH: Violations and abuses related to the
protests of July and August 2024
Summary of the OHCHR Fact-Finding Report February 2025
INTRODUCTION
Report Summary OHCHR has reasonable grounds to believe that Methodology
these violations were carried out with the
At the invitation of the Interim Government of knowledge, coordination and direction of the This report is principally based on more than:
Bangladesh OHCHR conducted an independent political leadership and senior security sector
�230
fact-finding inquiry into alleged human rights confidential in-depth
officials, as a strategy to suppress the protests. interviews
violations and abuses that occurred between 1
July and 15 August 2024, in the context of the These serious human rights violations also with victims, witnesses, student and other protest leaders,
widespread protests and their immediate raise concerns from the perspective of human rights defenders and others. An additional 36 officials,
aftermath. including former senior officials, were also interviewed.
international criminal law, so that additional
criminal investigations are warranted to
OHCHR finds that there are reasonable determine the extent to which they may also OHCHR conducted forensic analysis of:
grounds to believe that the former Government
�153
amount to crimes against humanity and,
and its security and intelligence apparatus, torture (as a stand-alone international crime), medical case files
together with violent elements associated with as well as serious crimes under domestic law.
the Awami League, systematically engaged in with consent, as well as ammunition remnants
serious human rights violations, including In early August 2024, crowds engaged in
hundreds of extrajudicial killings, other use of retaliatory killings and other serious revenge
OHCHR conducted a digital forensic analysis of:
force violations involving serious injuries to violence targeting, in particular, Awami League
thousands of protesters, including children,
extensive arbitrary arrest and detention and
officials and real or perceived supporters of
the Awami League, the police and the media �1000s of photos, videos,
records and files
torture and other forms of ill-treatment. seen as supportive of the Awami League. from witnesses, victims and other sources
OHCHR finds that female protestors were During and after the protests, members of the
Hindu community, Ahmadiyya Muslims and OHCHR received:
specifically subjected to sexual and gender- submissions from
based violence and in some documented cases,
sexual assault perpetrated by Awami League
indigenous groups in the Chittagong Hill
Tracts, were also subject to violent attacks by 959
� individuals and
organisations
supporters. mobs, including burning of homes and some all of which have been reviewed and preserved according to
attacks on places of worship. standard methodology.
CONTEXTUAL OVERVIEW
Timeline of select events and escalation of repression
High Court reinstates quota system for public jobs.
5 June
Student protests begin and gradually intensify
evening of Chhatra League attacks begin incited by senior
14-15 July Awami League officials
Extrajudicial killing of Abu Sayed by Police in
16 July
Rangpur Extrajudicial killing of Abu
Sayed.
Suppression of major student protest at Dhaka
17 July University
Generalization of protests Police, RAB and BGB
18 July shoot protesters
evening of Orders to security forces to use maximum force and
18 July total Internet shutdown
19 July Significant increase in killings compared to 18 July
Supression of protests at Dhaka University on 17 July.
Curfew and deployment of Army. Violent clearance
of Dhaka Chattogram highway in Jatrabari (by Police
20 July
& RAB, supported by Army). Mass arbitrary arrest
campaign by Police & RAB, supported by Army. Video showing police burning a
early pile of bodies in front of
Protests and suppression reignite Ashulia Police Station on the
August afternoon of 5 August.
“March on Dhaka.” Government plan to violently
suppress it. Police and, in one documented case,
4 August
also the Army (Jamuna Future Park) shoot and kill
protesters.
Sheikh Hasina flees. Killings of protestors continue.
Revenge violence targeting Awami League
afternoon of supporters, police, media seen as supportive of
5 August former Government and, in some cases, also members
of distinct religious and indigenous groups.
Creation Date: 07 February 2025 Author: HRIB/OHCHR Source: OHCHR, open sources Contact: [email protected] ohchr.org standup4humanrights.org
MAIN FINDINGS
Overview of deaths, injuries and arrests Distribution of deaths and injuries recorded by the Ministry of Health in the context of the protests
Based on data compiled and de-duplicated
from several sources, including from civil LEGEND
society organisations and the Ministry of 1000
Health, OHCHR estimates there were as
many as: Killed 500
Number killed or
�1400
injured by upazila
protest-related Injured 100
deaths
10
including at least 13 women during the period of 1
15 July to 5 August 2024.
approximate ratio
12% of children among
total deaths
The Ministry of Health has recorded 841
deaths related to the protests, however data
is likely incomplete as medical staff were
often overwhelmed by the influx of dead and
injured, among other reasons, such that a
number of cases were not properly recorded
At the time of finalisation of this report there
were:
�13,529
injuries recorded by
Ministry of Health
including at least 390 women and 4 persons listed as “other.”
One hospital in Dhaka treated 736 patients
with eye injures, out of which 506 required
emergency operations.
�11,702
arrests by police and
Rapid Action Batallion The names shown and designations used on this map do not imply official
endorsement or acceptance by the United Nations.
Based on analysis of information provided
by Dhaka Medical College on 130 deaths, Causes of protest-related killings
more than three quarters (78%) were
caused by firearms, including military rifles shotguns
and shotguns loaded with lethal metal with pellets
military
pellets 12% rifles
These weapons are commonly used only by
police, paramilitary and military forces, and
pistols 66%
not readily available to civilians in 2%
Bangladesh
other
Video and images captured during the
protests show Bangladesh Police, BGB, 20%
RAB, Ansar/VDP and Army members Based on examination by Dhaka Medical College Forensic X-ray images of victim who suffered eye, head and torso injuries
wielding SKS, Type 56 and BD-08 rifles Department of 130 deaths. from police firing metal pellet-loaded shotguns.
Summary of main violations
Violations and abuses during the protests Violations and abuses in the aftermath of
the protests
Incited violence by armed Awami Mass arbitrary arrests, detention Revenge abuses targeting police, Awami
League supporters without due process, and torture and League members, people perceived as
ill-treatment affiliated with the Awami League and
Use of force violations by Police, RAB and media
BGB, including extrajudicial killings Intimidation and attacks on journalists
Abuses against indigenous people in the
Involvement of the Army in use of force Unjustified Internet shutdowns, lacking Chittagong Hill Tracts
violations due process
Attacks on Hindu homes, businesses
Use of helicopters to intimidate and Violations and abuses targeting women and places of worship, and related
deploy possibly unlawful force and girls protesting displacement
Obstruction of medical care and denial of Violations and abuses against children Attacks on Ahmadiyya Muslims
necessary medical documentation
Creation Date: 07 February 2025 Author: HRIB/OHCHR Source: OHCHR, open sources Contact: [email protected] ohchr.org standup4humanrights.org
UNDERLYING CAUSES OF VIOLATIONS AND SELECTED RECOMMENDATIONS
1 Use of military rifles and metal pellet-loaded shotguns in 5 Institutionalized impunity and a politically pliant justice sector
public order management
Recommendations
Recommendations Fair and effective criminal justice for serious violations
and revenge violence
Prohibit use of shotgun pellets or other lethal ammunition
to disperse crowds and immediately cease equipping the Wider victim-centered process to prevent recurrence,
police with metal pellet ammunition for public order enhance social cohesion and national healing, including
management truth-seeking, reparation, memorialization, vetting of
security sector
Reform public order management emphasizing less lethal
tactics and de-escalatory approach Establish independent public prosecution service and
witness protection programme
Ensure independence of judiciary through genuinely
independent mechanism for recruitment of judges,
Outdated laws enabling the use of disproportionate force protection against intimidation, adequate remuneration
2
and guaranteed tenure
Address due process and fair trial concerns related to
Recommendations
International Crimes Tribunal
Replace Police Act 1861 and Police Regulations Bengal Introduce a moratorium on the death penalty
with human rights-compliant laws
Order police to cease practices of mass criminal charges
and mass arrests 6 Stifling of civil space and repressive legal framework
Implement Torture and Custodial Death (Prohibition Act);
Reform police investigation techniques, orders, doctrines Recommendations
and training to reduce reliance on coerced confessions
Repeal overly broad criminal provisions used to stifle
critical media reporting and dissent.
End unlawful surveillance and abolish the National
Telecommunications Monitoring Centre
3 Militarization of policing
Amend Bangladesh Telecommunications Regulation Act
to clearly regulate surveillance
Recommendations
Regulate Internet shutdowns: clear criteria, transparency,
Disband Rapid Action Battalion. Confine functions of judicial oversight, proportionality
Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB) and Directorate General Refrain from political party bans undermining democracy
of Forces Intelligence (DGFI). Demilitarize control of and disenfranchising part of electorate. Protect
Ansar/VDP journalists, political party activists, minority leaders and
Only most exceptional deployment of Army to internal rights defenders
security, under civilian control Ensure a safe and enabling environment for free and
genuine elections, including by special pre-election
measures to ensure a level playing field for all political
parties and candidates
4 Politicization of the security sector Amend the Foreign Donation (Voluntary Activities)
Regulation Act 2016 to ensure it is consistent with the
right to freedom of association and other international
Recommendations human rights
National police commission for fair, transparent and Bring National Human Rights Commission into
merit-based police recruitment, promotions, transfer and compliance with international standards
removal process
Independent commission to investigate police violations.
Similar independent accountability and justice 7 Structural discrimination and grievances about economic
mechanisms for Armed Forces and BGB governance
Recommendations
Laws and regulations for substantive equality of men and
women in political and public life
Take urgent measures to freeze, seize and repatriate
ill-gotten gains, including through cooperation with
foreign jurisdiction. Enforce anti-corruption and
anti-cartel legislation. Enhance the independence and
efficacy of the Anti-Corruption Commission.
Enhance protection of workers, including through
amendments to the Labour Act, make tax system more
equitable and promote economic diversification
Creation Date: 07 February 2025 Author: HRIB/OHCHR Source: OHCHR, open sources Contact: [email protected] ohchr.org standup4humanrights.org
