Staff Correspondent

Marking the second anniversary of the July mass uprising, the Bangladesh Civil Rights Society (BCRS) has demanded the disclosure of identities and the compilation of a comprehensive list of all victims excluded from the official gazette.

In a joint statement issued on Wednesday (August 5) commemorating the martyrs of the July mass uprising, BCRS Chairman Zakir Hossain, Senior Vice-Chairman Engineer AHM Moniruzzaman Dewan Manik, and Executive Director Sheikh Mohammad Tajul Islam paid profound tribute to the supreme sacrifices of the martyrs and the contributions of injured fighters.

Highlighting the numerical discrepancy in casualty figures, BCRS leaders noted that the UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR) investigation report recorded approximately 1,400 deaths during the July-August uprising, whereas the official government gazette includes 836 martyrs. This leaves a gap of roughly 564 individuals. BCRS asserted that the identities and circumstances of death of those mentioned in the UN report but omitted from the official list must be investigated and made public, along with explanations for their exclusion.

The statement emphasized that, according to the UN report, numerous street children, adolescents, and innocent pedestrians lost their lives amid conflict and gunfire. Consequently, the organization urged the government to identify these victims, publish a complete list, locate their families, and ensure necessary state recognition and assistance.

BCRS leaders stated that preserving the state identity of every person who lost their life in the July mass uprising, properly valuing their sacrifices, and ensuring equal dignity and justice for all victim families is a fundamental duty of the state. For the sake of history and to present the truth to future generations, an accurate and complete roster of martyrs is an imperative demand of the time