The beginning of scientific exhumations and forensic analysis of 114 unidentified bodies of people killed during the July 2024 protests in Bangladesh is a fundamental step towards helping families of the missing fulfil their rights to truth, justice and accountability, a UN expert said on Friday.
“This is the first large-scale forensic recovery, analysis and identification operation carried out in Bangladesh on the basis of international human rights and forensic standards,” said Morris Tidball-Binz, UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, in a statement issued from Geneva.
The forensic examination of the bodies is being conducted on site in a temporary mortuary installed by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), in line with international forensic and human rights standards.
The process is expected to take several days and will include DNA analysis to support the scientific identification of the deceased.
In July 2025, Tidball-Binz, who is a forensic doctor, was in Dhaka, with the support of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), to provide technical advice on forensic investigations to the authorities, including the CID and medico-legal services.
On that occasion, the Special Rapporteur’s technical assistance was welcomed and used to help plan and prepare the large-scale recovery, documentation and identification of victims of the 2024 events, in line with international standards, in particular the Minnesota Protocol on the Investigation of Potentially Unlawful Death.
As a result, on December 1 this year, a member of the Forensic Advisory Group - convened by the Special Rapporteur - travelled to Bangladesh at OHCHR’s invitation to support the final preparations and implementation of the exhumations, which began on December 7.
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The bodies are reported to correspond to people killed during the 2024 uprising, who were recovered from the streets of Dhaka and buried at Rayerbazar cemetery by the Muslim charity Anjuman Mufidul Islam.
Although efforts were made at the time to ensure respect for the dead and protect their dignity, identification was not possible.
“In addition to helping to respond to victims’ and families’ needs for truth, justice and accountability, this investigation is a unique opportunity to strengthen the country’s medico-legal and forensic capacity in line with standards such as the Minnesota Protocol – as Bangladesh both needs and deserves,” Tidball-Binz said.