Govt thanks OHCHR for July massacre report, vows justice

The interim government has expressed gratitude to the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) for conducting the most comprehensive independent investigation into the events of July and August 2024, which led to the fall of the Hasina regime.

According to a statement from the Chief Adviser’s Office, Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus acknowledged the report’s findings with deep regret and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to upholding human rights and ensuring justice for all victims.

The OHCHR report states: "In early August 2024, as the former government increasingly lost control of the country, crowds engaged in retaliatory killings and other serious acts of revenge violence, primarily targeting Awami League officials, their real or perceived supporters, the police, and media outlets seen as sympathetic to the Awami League.

During and after the protests, members of the Hindu community, Ahmadiyya Muslims, and indigenous groups in the Chittagong Hill Tracts were also subjected to violent mob attacks, including arson and assaults on places of worship.

The motives behind these attacks were diverse and often intersecting, including religious and ethnic discrimination, perceived revenge against Awami League supporters within minority communities, local communal disputes (including land conflicts), and personal vendettas."

The interim government has vowed to prosecute all perpetrators involved in the violence, human rights violations, and communal attacks documented in the OHCHR report.