An investigation by BBC Eye has revealed that at least 52 civilians were killed in indiscriminate police firing in Dhaka’s Jatrabari area on August 5, 2024. The incident occurred during the final day of protests following the fall of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's government. The report is based on over 100 videos, photographs, eyewitness accounts, and on-the-ground verification. According to BBC, the shooting began at 2:43 PM and lasted for approximately 30 minutes. One protester, Miraj Hossain, captured the moment he was shot in a video that has since been authenticated. Hospital records and social media posts corroborate the death toll. While police admitted to excessive force and unprofessional conduct, they have promised accountability and justice.

A murder case has been filed against Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and three others in connection with the death of Nasima Akter, a young woman from Noakhali, who was fatally shot during a political uprising in Dhaka’s Dhanmondi area. The case also lists 100 to 150 unidentified individuals as accused. Nasima’s brother, Spain-based Helal Uddin Solaiman, filed the case. The incident occurred on July 19, 2024, when Nasima and her brother were on a rooftop in Dhanmondi and were struck by bullets reportedly fired from a helicopter. Nasima succumbed to her injuries the next day in hospital.

On July 5, 2024, nationwide student groups organized awareness campaigns, protests, and class boycotts demanding the abolition of the quota system in government jobs. Coordinators of the anti-discrimination student movement carried out both online and offline programs across the country. The previous evening, movement leader Nahid Islam announced a three-day action plan: public engagement on July 5, protest rallies from universities and colleges on July 6, and a complete boycott of classes and exams on July 7. Dhaka University students showed solidarity by actively participating. Meanwhile, the “White Panel,” a pro-BNP-Jamaat teachers’ group, expressed concern over a High Court ruling partially invalidating a government circular on quotas and supported the students’ cause.

Cultural Adviser Mostofa Sarwar Farooki has announced that a series of national programs commemorating the July Uprising will commence on July 1 and continue until August 5. The main events will begin from July 14, he added. Speaking about the importance of the movement, he said, “As the nation once united during the uprising, this year’s programs will reflect the same unity.”

Notably, August 5 will now be observed as a national public holiday, officially recognized as "Student-People's Movement Day." Discussions are also underway to grant autonomous status to state-owned broadcasters, Bangladesh Betar and BTV.

Mahmud, a garment worker injured during the August 5th uprising, has undergone successful surgery. The procedure was performed by the medical team of the Ziaur Rahman Foundation (ZRF) under the supervision of Executive Director Dr. Farhad Halim Donar and orthopedic surgeon Dr. Shah Mohammad Amanullah. Former JCD central health affairs secretary Dr. M.R. Hasan was also present during the operation.

The government has issued the “July Uprising Martyrs’ Welfare and Rehabilitation Ordinance 2025,” aimed at supporting families of those killed or injured in the July civilian uprising.
According to the ordinance, any attempt to fraudulently claim medical, financial, or rehabilitation support through misinformation, falsified documents, or concealment of facts will be considered a criminal offense.
Penalties include up to two years in prison, a fine of BDT 200,000, or double the amount of financial assistance claimed.
The ordinance categorizes casualties as either “July Martyrs” (those killed) or “July Warriors” (those injured), with the injured further divided into three categories: critically injured, seriously injured, and injured.

The Ministry of Law, Justice, and Parliamentary Affairs has issued an ordinance forming the "Department of the July Uprising" to ensure the welfare and rehabilitation of families of martyrs and injured fighters from the movement.

The department aims to preserve the ideals and history of the uprising while integrating its spirit into national life. The government plans to open branches at district and sub-district levels as needed.

Roni, a rickshaw puller from Geneva Camp in Dhaka’s Mohammadpur area, joined a student-led protest on July 18 after witnessing brutal attacks on students. He was killed that very afternoon. Nearly a year has passed, but his mother, Parveen Begum, has yet to receive any formal assistance. Though representatives from the July Martyrs’ Memorial Foundation visited her following media coverage and asked her to complete documentation, her illiteracy has made the process difficult. Parveen now lives by working in others’ homes, struggling to make ends meet.

Imran Hossain (30), a garment worker from Nandail, Mymensingh, who was injured during the July uprising in Gazipur by police rubber bullets, has died due to lack of medical care. He was not included in the official list of those injured in the movement.

His father, Islam Uddin, said, “Because we are poor, managing time and resources was very difficult. We couldn't seek help or ensure he was officially listed among the injured. Last night, he clutched his chest in pain and passed away in agony.” The local administration and the National Coordination Platform (NCP) stated that they were unaware of Imran’s condition.

According to an official announcement on the Health and Family Welfare Ministry’s website, the Directorate General of Health Services has launched an emergency program to distribute health cards to those injured in the July mass uprising.
Health cards prepared for various districts have already been sent to the respective Civil Surgeons. Each Civil Surgeon is instructed to appoint a designated representative to ensure prompt delivery of the cards to injured individuals.
The initiative is currently underway in 36 districts, covering 4,551 injured persons. The health cards will allow recipients to receive essential medical services either free of charge or at discounted rates.

To commemorate the July Uprising and preserve its historical context, a memorabilia collection campaign for the July Uprising Memorial Museum has been launched. On Saturday, Cultural Adviser Mostofa Sarwar Farooki began the initiative by visiting the home of martyred activist Wasim Akram in Pekua, Cox’s Bazar. He collected personal items belonging to the martyr from his family to be preserved in the museum’s archive.
A visual documentation team accompanying Farooki captured the emotional void left in the martyr’s home. On Sunday, Farooki is scheduled to meet the families of other martyrs—Faisal Ahmed Shanto, Omar Farooq, and Shahidul—to collect their personal mementos and share their stories.

The body of Shaheed Shahadat Hossain Shawon, a young man from Senbagh, Noakhali, who was killed during the recent mass uprising, has been exhumed under court order. It has been sent to the Noakhali morgue for a post-mortem examination. Shawon, son of Bashir Alam of Khajuria Sardar Para, was a student at a madrasa in Jatrabari and died of gunshot wounds on August 5. His father said, “Everyone knows my son was shot by the police. A proper investigation will reveal the truth. I demand exemplary punishment for those responsible for my son’s death.”

Chief Prosecutor Mohammad Tazul Islam read aloud a heartfelt letter written by Anas—a 10th-grade student martyred during a protest in Chankharpul—to his mother, at a tribunal on Sunday. In the letter, Anas wrote, “Mom, I’m going to the rally. I couldn’t hold back anymore. Sorry, Dad. I disobeyed you, but I couldn’t stay selfishly at home while others are sacrificing their lives for our future.” The letter ends with a plea for forgiveness for all his past mistakes and a request to be proud if he doesn’t return.

Mujibur Rahman, a 20-year-old student leader of the July uprising and Joint General Secretary of the Cox’s Bazar Union unit of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal, has been missing for six days.

His family has searched hospitals, police stations, and nearby areas, but no trace has been found. According to a general diary filed with the police, Mujibur left his home on the morning of May 19 to go to his computer shop in Dhechuapalong but has not been seen since.

An injured participant in the July uprising has blamed political parties that came to power after the mass movement for the tragic deaths of his four brothers, who took their own lives by consuming poison. “I hold the post-uprising political parties responsible. Secondly, I blame the government that rose to power on the backs of our sacrifices,” he stated. “They should have ensured proper medical treatment and rehabilitation for those injured in the uprising.”
He further criticized the authorities, noting, “Ten months have passed, yet fewer than 50 injured individuals have been sent abroad for treatment out of more than 22,000 wounded. We even pleaded with the Chief Adviser, saying our limbs are rotting, please save us. Though he brought doctors within three days, it felt like eyewash.”
The statement came after four young men, all of whom lost their eyesight during the July protests and are currently admitted to the National Institute of Ophthalmology, attempted suicide by ingesting poison during a meeting at the hospital director’s office on Sunday afternoon.