UN Welcomes Forensic Exhumations to Identify Victims of Bangladesh Protests

Morris Tidball-Binz, the UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, described the operation as a landmark moment for the country’s justice and forensic systems.

The start of scientific exhumations and forensic analysis of 114 unidentified bodies of people killed during the July 2024 protests in Bangladesh marks a critical step toward truth, justice, and accountability for victims’ families, a United Nations human rights expert has said.

Morris Tidball-Binz, the UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, described the operation as a landmark moment for the country’s justice and forensic systems.

“This is the first large-scale forensic recovery, analysis, and identification operation carried out in Bangladesh on the basis of international human rights and forensic standards,” Tidball-Binz said.

The exhumations are being conducted at Rayerbazar cemetery in Dhaka, where the bodies were buried after being recovered from the streets during the 2024 uprising. At the time, identification of the deceased was not possible, despite efforts to ensure respectful burial and protection of their dignity by the Muslim charity Anjuman Mufidul Islam.

Forensic examinations are now taking place on site in a temporary mortuary established by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID). The work is being carried out in line with international forensic and human rights standards and is expected to take several days. The process includes DNA analysis, documentation of injuries, and systematic data collection to enable the scientific identification of the victims.

The UN expert said the operation is essential to helping families of the missing fulfil their right to know the fate of their loved ones, a core component of international human rights law.

In July 2025, Tidball-Binz, who is a forensic medical doctor, travelled to Dhaka with the support of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). During that visit, he provided technical advice to Bangladeshi authorities, including the CID and medico-legal services, on how to carry out investigations into potentially unlawful deaths.

His technical assistance was welcomed and used to help plan and prepare the large-scale recovery, documentation, and identification of victims from the 2024 protests. The work was guided by international best practice, particularly the Minnesota Protocol on the Investigation of Potentially Unlawful Death, which sets standards for independent, effective, and transparent investigations.

Building on this preparation, a member of the Forensic Advisory Group, convened by the Special Rapporteur, travelled to Bangladesh on 1 December 2025 at OHCHR’s invitation to support the final stages of planning and the implementation of the exhumations, which formally began on 7 December 2025.

Tidball-Binz said the operation goes beyond identifying victims and addressing past abuses.

“In addition to helping to respond to victims’ and families’ needs for truth, justice and accountability, this investigation is a unique opportunity to strengthen Bangladesh’s medico-legal and forensic capacity,” he said. “Aligning national practice with standards such as the Minnesota Protocol is something Bangladesh both needs and deserves.”

The UN expert emphasised that credible forensic investigations are a cornerstone of accountability, helping ensure that those responsible for unlawful killings are identified and that similar violations are prevented in the future.