July-August massacre: UN to release report on Thursday
Staff Reporter :
The UN Human Rights Office is set to unveil its fact-finding report on the massacre that occurred during the July-August mass upsurge against the former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s despotic government, which deployed law enforcement to suppress the student movement.
The much-anticipated report, titled ‘Human Rights Violations and Abuses,’ is scheduled for release on Thursday. High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk is expected to present the findings in Geneva.
According to the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), the audio of the news conference will be streamed live on UN Web TV.
Key speakers at the event will include Chief of the Asia-Pacific Section Rory Mungoven, human rights officer Jyotsna Poudyal, and OHCHR Chief Spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani.
A UN fact-finding mission was launched to investigate human rights violations in Bangladesh between 1 July and 15 August, when the mass upsurge reached its peak.
The interim government, led by Professor Muhammad Yunus, invited the UN Human Rights Office to conduct an investigation, and a five-member delegation arrived in Bangladesh on 16 September to carry out an independent inquiry.
During their investigation, the UN team travelled across the country, speaking with various individuals, groups, and organisations to gather first-hand information regarding the mass killings and human rights abuses by law enforcement officials.
Before finalising the report, OHCHR shared its findings with the interim government, which provided necessary feedback.
The report is expected to serve as a crucial reference in shedding light on the incidents that led to numerous deaths of students and ordinary citizens at the hands of law enforcement.
According to Foreign Ministry sources, the UN fact-finding report will assist the interim government in conducting ICT trials, in which several Awami League ministers, including former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, face multiple charges, including culpable homicide.
The recommendations in the report will also support the government’s reform agenda to protect human rights.
Prior to releasing the final report, OHCHR published a preliminary analysis of the incidents and killings on 16 August 2024, estimating that hundreds of people were killed, including at least 32 children, and thousands more were injured.
The report also made several recommendations to the interim government, urging accountability for those responsible for human rights violations and ensuring the victims’ right to effective remedies.
The report noted that police and paramilitary forces often used force indiscriminately against both peaceful and violent protests, employing rubber bullets, sound grenades, and firearms with live ammunition, including birdshot and bullets.
Public reports indicate that between 16 July and 11 August, over 600 people were killed. Of these, nearly 400 deaths occurred between 16 July and 4 August, with another 250 fatalities reported following the new wave of protests between 5 and 6 August.
Several deaths occurred between 7 and 11 August, including individuals who died from injuries sustained in the violence. Those killed included protesters, bystanders, journalists covering the events, and members of the security forces.