A new study by the Biomedical Research Foundation has revealed that 80 percent of those killed during the May 6, 2013, government crackdown on protesters at Dhaka’s Shapla Square were ordinary citizens, not madrasa students. The report, titled “Shapla Square Massacre (2013): A Case of State-Sponsored Human Rights Violations in Bangladesh,” was published on January 6, 2026. It found that the average age of the victims was 29 and that about 85 percent of deaths were caused by gunfire.

The research, conducted by Mohammad Sarwar Hossain, Munaim Khan, Sadid Hossain, and S.M. Yasir Arafat, documented that around 7,500 security personnel took part in the operation, which dispersed about 50,000 protesters within 20 minutes using live bullets, tear gas, and sound grenades. The estimated death toll ranged from 93 to 327, based on data from multiple sources. The study challenges the prevailing notion that the Shapla movement was madrasa-centric.

Researchers concluded that the incident constituted a crime against humanity under international law and Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal Act. They emphasized the need for a full investigation and forensic documentation to preserve historical evidence and ensure justice.