The France-based human rights organization JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JM-BF) has expressed deep concern and outrage over the killing of four and injuring of over a hundred unarmed civilians by the army and police in Gopalganj yesterday, during protests to protect the mausoleum of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
In a statement, JM-BF claimed that the NCP, a party allegedly backed by the interim government led by Nobel Peace Laureate Dr. Yunus, incited violence in Gopalganj by publicly declaring that “Mujibism will be buried.” In response, local citizens peacefully took to the streets to protect the Bangabandhu mausoleum. The army and police then opened direct fire on the protesters, resulting in four deaths and many critical injuries. The deceased were identified as Dipto Saha (25), Ramzan Kazi (24), Sohel Molla (35), and Imon Talukder (28).
The organization stated that this incident is not only a gross violation of human rights but also completely unconstitutional and unlawful in Bangladesh. Protesters were peaceful and unarmed, carrying only sticks and stones. However, video footage shows army and police personnel shooting directly, torturing detainees, and ensuring death by pressing boots on the faces and necks of those already shot.
The statement further described that people from various parts of Gopalganj—Gandhiashur, Ulpur, Chourasta, and Bus Stand—joined in processions protesting the NCP’s incitement. As tensions escalated, the army was deployed and began suppressing the movement violently. Many innocent civilians, including women and children, were attacked. While many injured have been admitted to local hospitals, several remain missing.
The chief advisor of JM-BF, a prominent French human rights activist, said this attack in Gopalganj is a direct violation of international human rights treaties and the fundamental rights declared by the United Nations.
He added that when a state fails to ensure the safety of its citizens and instead becomes the perpetrator of violence, international intervention becomes essential.
JM-BF’s founding president, prominent human rights lawyer Advocate Shahanur Islam, stated that such shootings constitute crimes against humanity and should fall under the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court.
He accused the forces of pressing boots on injured people’s necks and faces to ensure their deaths and of throwing the injured into vehicles with disdain—acts comparable to war crimes. He stated that democracy, justice, and freedom of expression in Bangladesh are now under extreme threat.
Multiple videos circulated on social media clearly show armed forces firing on unarmed civilians and brutally assaulting the injured.
One video shows a man being taken away alive and later shot, then left on the street while boots are pressed on his face and throat. Several videos show injured individuals writhing in pain, bleeding and screaming. Hospital footage reveals clear bullet wounds on the corpses.
In response, JM-BF has made five major demands:
- Formation of an independent and neutral investigation committee under the supervision of the UN and international human rights bodies to identify and prosecute those responsible.
- Immediate resignation of the Yunus-led government, holding it accountable for the massacre.
- A call to the United Nations, Human Rights Watch, and Amnesty International to highlight this incident internationally and ensure justice and accountability.
- Immediate withdrawal of the involved army personnel from UN peacekeeping missions and initiation of a human rights violation investigation against them.
- Provision of proper treatment, security, and compensation to the families of the deceased and injured.
JM-BF concluded that this incident will be remembered as another dark day in Bangladesh’s democratic history. The state’s responsibility is to protect its citizens’ freedom, dignity, and safety—not to open fire on them.
The organization urged the international community to take active steps to prevent such incidents in the future and affirmed its commitment to continue advocating against such injustices and mobilizing international opinion.
