UN Expert Hails Forensic Probe of July Uprising Victims

The launch of scientific exhumations and forensic analysis of 114 unidentified bodies linked to the July 2024 protests in Bangladesh marks a crucial step toward ensuring truth, justice and accountability for victims’ families, a UN expert said on Friday.

Morris Tidball-Binz, UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, said this is the first large-scale forensic recovery, analysis and identification effort in Bangladesh conducted according to international human rights and forensic standards.

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) is carrying out the examinations at a temporary mortuary set up on site. The process, expected to take several days, includes DNA testing to support scientific identification of the deceased.

Tidball-Binz, a forensic specialist, previously visited Dhaka in July 2025 to provide technical support to authorities, including the CID and medico-legal services, with assistance from the UN human rights office. His guidance helped shape plans for the recovery, documentation and identification of victims in line with the Minnesota Protocol on the Investigation of Potentially Unlawful Death.

As part of that support, a member of the Special Rapporteur’s Forensic Advisory Group travelled to Bangladesh on December 1 to assist with preparations for the exhumations, which began on December 7.

The bodies are believed to be those of people killed during the 2024 uprising, recovered from Dhaka streets and later buried at Rayerbazar cemetery by the charity Anjuman Mufidul Islam. Despite efforts at the time to maintain dignity and proper handling, identification was not possible.

Tidball-Binz said the current investigation not only aims to deliver truth and justice to families, but also represents an opportunity to strengthen Bangladesh’s medico-legal and forensic capabilities in line with international standards.