The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has begun exhuming and identifying the remains of the July martyrs following international forensic standards, including the Minnesota Protocol.
The operation started on Sunday morning at the Intellectuals Graveyard in Rayerbazar, Dhaka, under court orders.
CID Chief and Additional Inspector General Md Sibgat Ullah told reporters that the remains would be identified according to international human rights protocols.
“DNA samples are being collected from the families of the martyrs. Once identified, the remains can be handed over to the families if they wish,” he said.
Argentine forensic expert Dr Luis Fondebrider, renowned for his 40 years of experience in identification and forensic investigations across 65 countries, was present at the site. He is collaborating with the CID under the guidance of the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).
“I assure that this operation will be conducted according to international forensic standards,” Dr Fondebrider said.
Md Sibgat Ullah emphasised that the exhumation and identification process is complex and time-consuming. Initially, 114 remains are expected to be exhumed, but the number may increase.
So far, 10 families have applied to have their loved ones identified. The CID has urged other families to contact its hotline for assistance.
During the July mass uprising, people of all ages took to the streets, defying curfews. Even a year and a half after the uprising, many families have yet to recover the bodies of their loved ones. At the time, 114 martyrs were believed to have been secretly buried in the Rayerbazar mass grave.
After exhumation, forensic examinations, DNA collection, profile creation, and matching will be carried out. Identified remains will be reburied with full religious rites.
The identification process involves CID experts, forensic specialists from medical colleges across the country, and international consultants.
