Immunity for July warriors okayed

The government yesterday approved the draft “July Mass Uprising Protection and Liability Determination Ordinance 2026,” granting indemnity to participants of the mass uprising of July-August 2024 for actions as part of political resistance during the movement.

“I had announced earlier that this was our commitment to the participants of the July mass uprising -- a commitment rooted in our determination to build a new Bangladesh,” Law Adviser Asif Nazrul said while briefing journalists at the Foreign Service Academy. 

“As part of that commitment, the advisory council has approved the ordinance today,” he added.

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July warriors to get immunity

 Asked whether the timeframe ends on August 5, Asif Nazrul clarified that since August has 31 days, the period covered by the ordinance runs from July 1 to August 31.

The approval came at the advisory council’s weekly meeting chaired by Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus at his office.

 Nazrul said the government hopes to make the ordinance a law within five to seven days through a gazette notification.

 “What we have essentially done is grant immunity to participants of the July mass uprising for actions organised for the purpose of political resistance,” he said. “By political resistance, we mean organised activities aimed at overthrowing a fascist government and restoring a democratic system of governance.”

For such activities, he said, participants would be exempt from criminal liability for actions organised during July and August.

 Explaining the mechanism, the law adviser said that if criminal cases have already been filed against uprising participants for actions linked to political resistance, the government will move to withdraw those cases.

“From now on, no new cases can be filed against them for activities carried out in July and August that were organised for political resistance. Existing cases will be withdrawn, and no new cases will be allowed,” he said.

However, Nazrul clarified that the indemnity would not apply to crimes committed for personal gain, greed, revenge, or narrow self-interest.

 “If, during July and August, someone committed murder in the name of political resistance but actually for personal gain, greed, revenge, or narrow interests, they will not be exempt from criminal liability,” he said. “Such killings are not related to the July mass uprising, nor to the objective of political resistance.”

 He emphasised that the ordinance was enacted solely to protect those collectively involved in organised efforts to overthrow the fascist government and restore democracy.

 Nazrul said that if a victim’s family believes a killing was driven by personal motives and had no connection to political resistance, they may approach the National Human Rights Commission.

 “If the commission finds that the killing was committed for personal and narrow interests, it will investigate and submit a report to the court,” he said. “That report will be treated in the same manner as a police investigation report.”

 Responding to a question about killings of  police during the uprising, he reiterated that any killing outside the scope of political resistance would also fall under the commission’s review.

 “If the Human Rights Commission finds that a killing truly has no connection with the July mass uprising, its report will be treated by the court in the same way as a police investigation report,” he said.

 Nazrul added that the National Human Rights Commission would be formed by January 31, noting that the selection committee has already held its first meeting.

 “A public notice will likely be published today or tomorrow. By January 31, we aim to form the strongest, most powerful, and, Insha’Allah, the most effective Human Rights Commission in Bangladesh’s history,” he said.

Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam also spoke at the press conference.

 Earlier, on October 14, 2024, the home ministry issued a notification instructing that those linked to the July uprising should not be arrested or harassed.

Students launched their protests against the quota system in government jobs on July 1, 2024. The movement quickly gathered force, driven by what protesters described as the then government’s harsh and brutal response.

 What began as a call for reform soon swelled into a nationwide anti-government uprising, demanding the resignation of then prime minister Sheikh Hasina. The movement reached its climax with her ouster on August 5.

 About 1,400 people were killed during the uprising, according to a United Nations fact-finding mission.

 An interim government was formed on August 8, 2024 following the dissolution of the then parliament.