The government has issued the Welfare and Rehabilitation Ordinance for Families of the Martyred and Injured in the July Uprising, 2025, outlining strict legal consequences for fraudulent claims to benefits.
According to the ordinance, any individual who falsely claims to be a member of a martyr’s family or an injured participant of the July Uprising—through fabricated, distorted, or withheld information—will be committing a punishable offense. Such actions may lead to a maximum prison sentence of two years, a fine of up to Tk 200,000, or a financial penalty equal to twice the amount of benefits wrongfully received.
The ordinance was officially issued on Tuesday, June 17.
It states that if a person deliberately or knowingly submits false or misleading documents to claim medical, financial, or rehabilitation support under the guise of being a martyr’s family member or an injured participant, they will be held accountable under the law. Offenses under this ordinance will be considered non-cognizable and bailable.
Procedures related to filing complaints, investigation, trial, appeals, and other legal matters will be governed by the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898 (Act No. V of 1898).
The ordinance also formally recognizes two categories of individuals affected by the uprising: those martyred are designated as “July Martyrs,” while the injured are officially termed “July Warriors.” Injured persons are further categorized into three levels: critically injured, seriously injured, and injured.
Furthermore, the ordinance provides a legal foundation for various government initiatives aimed at supporting the families of the deceased and those injured in the uprising. The list of 834 individuals recognized as martyrs, published in the official gazette on January 15, will be treated as having been issued under the authority of this ordinance.