Dhaka, August 5 (V7N) - The government of Bangladesh has initiated a process to exhume the remains of 114 unidentified individuals buried in mass graves at the Rayerbazar cemetery in Dhaka, believed to be victims of the July uprising. The goal is to identify the deceased through DNA profiling and determine the exact causes of their deaths.
 
The operation was ordered by a Dhaka court on Monday in response to a police petition. However, due to a delay in the court’s directive reaching the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), the exhumation process, initially planned for Tuesday, has been rescheduled to begin on Wednesday.
 
Special Police Superintendent and CID spokesperson Jasim Uddin Khan confirmed the development, stating that all necessary preparations had been made, but the late arrival of the court order postponed the start.
 
According to Tejgaon Zone Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) Jewel Rana, the process will involve exhuming the bodies buried during July and August in the Rayerbazar cemetery. The effort will be supervised by an executive magistrate and carried out by a CID forensic team in collaboration with medical specialists from Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital. DNA samples will be collected and preserved to assist in future identification efforts.
 
On August 2, Home Affairs Adviser Lt. Gen. (Retd.) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury visited the mass grave site and told reporters that over 100 people were buried there. Many of them remain unidentified. He noted that while families were initially reluctant to permit exhumation, they have now given their consent.
 
The court order was issued by Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Mohammad Mostafizur Rahman. The petition was filed by Sub-Inspector Mahidul Islam of Mohammadpur Police Station, citing the necessity of identifying the deceased for legal and humanitarian reasons.
 
The petition stated that the deceased included men and women of various ages who were martyred during the anti-discrimination student movement in Dhaka. All 114 individuals were buried as unidentified in the Rayerbazar cemetery under the jurisdiction of Mohammadpur Police Station.
 
The police noted that exhuming the bodies is essential to obtain forensic autopsy reports and DNA samples, which would aid in legal proceedings and in returning the remains to families once identities are confirmed. Following the judge’s review of the petition, the court approved the request and directed the Dhaka District Magistrate to appoint an executive magistrate to oversee the exhumation and related procedures.
 
The exhumation marks a significant step in efforts to recognize and honor the victims of the July uprising, as well as to ensure accountability through scientific and legal documentation.
 
END/KMD/AJ/