Student Movement Compiling Lists of Police for Prosecution

In a significant move towards ensuring accountability for the violence during the recent mass uprising, the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement has begun systematically documenting the identities of police officers involved in the July crackdowns. Speaking at a press conference held on Sunday evening at the historic Madhur Canteen of Dhaka University, Rifat Rashid, the President of the movement, announced that a comprehensive list of Officers-in-Charge (OCs) and Superintendents of Police (SPs) is being finalised. This register targets those who held commanding positions in jurisdictions where students and civilians were martyred during the July-August demonstrations.

The primary objective of this documentation process is to initiate legal proceedings at the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT). The movement intends to hold higher-tier commanding officers accountable for the lethal force used against protesters. This initiative follows the seismic political shift of 2024, where a student-led quota reform protest evolved into a full-scale revolution, eventually leading to the downfall of the Awami League administration and the departure of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Since the formation of the interim government, the ICT has already delivered landmark verdicts, including death sentences for Sheikh Hasina and her former Home Minister, Asaduzzaman Khan, while the former Inspector General of Police (IGP) received a custodial sentence.

Beyond the pursuit of criminal justice, the movement outlined three critical demands during the briefing. First, they demanded the unconditional release of their Habiganj leader, Mahdi Hasan—who was recently granted bail but remains under legal restriction—alongside the immediate withdrawal of the Shayestaganj Police Station’s OC. Their second demand is for the issuance of an indemnity ordinance within 24 hours to provide legal protection to all students, labourers, and citizens who participated in the uprising between 1 July and 8 August. Lastly, they called for the establishment of a permanent commission to document the history of and provide legal security to military and civil officials who aided the revolution, while ensuring rapid promotions for those sidelined during the previous regime.

The student leaders emphasised that they would no longer tolerate bureaucratic delays. Rifat Rashid reiterated that the movement is actively pressuring the Law and Home Advisors to ensure the President signs the indemnity ordinance immediately. With Chief Coordinator Hasib al-Islam and other key figures in attendance, the message was clear: the struggle continues until complete legal immunity is secured for revolutionaries and those responsible for the July massacres are brought to justice.

Summary of Key Demands and Proposed Legal Actions