Two years after losing her son during the July uprising, Bithy Begum\u2019s long wait for justice has turned her grief into anguish.Nothing hurts more than burying a child\u2026 My son did not die in vain, yet justice still has not been delivered,\u201d she said, recalling the day her 16-year-old son, Badhon, was shot dead near Shanir Akhra in the capital\u2019s Jatrabari area on July 19, 2024.A similar sense of grief and frustration is shared by Kohinur Akter.Her 19-year-old son Imran Hasan was killed during a protest in front of the Jatrabari Police Station on August 5.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMy son\u2019s soul will find peace only when justice is served. We are still holding on to the hope that those responsible will be held accountable. While those in power live in peace and comfort, we continue to carry our grief,\u201d she said, adding that Imran, the elder of her two sons, was killed before his HSC exam results were published.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The grief of the two mothers reflects the frustration of hundreds of families across the country who are still waiting for justice, with investigations either stalled or making little progress in most cases filed over the uprising that toppled the Awami League government.At least 1,862 cases — 799 on murder charges and 1,063 on other charges including attempted murder — have been filed so far with police stations nationwide over killings and atrocities committed during the uprising. However, investigations were completed in only 254 cases as of June 30, meaning over 86 percent of the cases were still under probe.Police stations in Dhaka, the epicentre of the uprising, have the largest backlog. Of the 920 cases filed in the capital, only 68 have seen completion of probe, with police submitting charge sheets in 37 and final reports in 31.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Of the murder cases in which charge sheets have been submitted, only two have advanced to the charge-framing stage at Dhaka courts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When asked, AHM Sahadat Hossaine, assistant inspector general (media and public relations) at the police headquarters, said, \u201cThese cases are highly sensitive. Most involve a large number of accused, numerous witnesses, digital and forensic evidence and collection of information and evidence from multiple locations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cEach investigation requires considerable time to ensure it is conducted impartially, based on evidence, and in accordance with the law. Our priority is not merely to complete probes quickly, but to ensure they are thorough, credible, and of high quality.\u201dUnder existing legal procedures, investigators will file charge sheets against those found to have been involved in the killings and atrocities, while recommending the discharge of individuals found innocent. Courts will then determine the criminal liability of the accused through the trial process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Meanwhile, the prolonged investigations have left many who say they were falsely accused — either out of personal vendetta or for extortion — stuck in a state of legal uncertainty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI could hardly believe it when I found out that I had been accused in a murder case over the killing of a man in Mirpur on August 5 [2024],\u201d said a physician from Mirpur\u2019s Pallabi area, seeking anonymity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cFollowing the filing of the case, I lived in constant fear that I could be arrested at any moment for a crime I knew nothing about,\u201d said the physician, adding that he believed his name was included in the First Information Report (FIR) because of professional rivalry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He further said that the hospital where he worked at that time informed investigators in writing that he had been on duty at the time of the killing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Police later assured him that he would not be implicated in the case.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
While police investigations have progressed sluggishly, the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) has moved forward with 50 cases over killings and atrocities during the uprising at a comparatively faster pace.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Two years after losing her son during the July uprising, Bithy Begum\u2019s long wait for justice has turned her grief into anguish.Nothing hurts more than burying a child\u2026 My son did not die in vain, yet justice still has not been delivered,\u201d she said, recalling the day her 16-year-old son, Badhon, was shot dead near […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":6677,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[15,5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6676","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-bangladesh","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\n