Frivolous cases, linked to killings and attempted murders during the July mass uprising, have increasingly become a tool of harassment, with personal and political rivals being added as the accused.
Countless innocents are being drawn into sprawling case lists that span districts far from where the incidents occurred.
Several individuals who actively participated in the July movement have also been accused, with several Jamaat-e-Islami and National Citizen Party (NCP) leaders facing incarceration under these cases.
According to data from police headquarters, 1,601 cases have been filed nationwide over killings and injuries during the July uprising, including 637 murder cases, naming more than 10,000 accused.
In Dhaka alone, 747 cases were registered in 50 police stations. Over 5,000 people, including former ministers, MPs and civil servants, have been arrested, many of whom reportedly had no involvement with the protests or political violence.
Some were not even in the country during the July uprising.
Jamaat leader jailed despite movement role
Sohanur Rahman Azad, 40, a Jamaat leader from Bangabazar under Dhaka Metropolitan South’s east Shahbagh area, had joined the anti-discrimination students’ movement in 2024. He was later named as an accused in the Riaz murder case – filed with Dhanmondi police station.
Police arrested him on 13 March this year from his shop in Bangabazar.
On 28 May, the investigating officer, Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) Inspector Muhammad Kamruzzaman Sikder sought five days’ remand, and the court granted one day. Azad was released on bail after around four months in jail.
Videos and photographs found circulating around social media clearly show Azad participating in the July movement and meeting Dhaka Metropolitan South Jamaat Ameer Nurul Islam Bulbul.
Police presented Azad as a Krishak League activist from Barishal’s Mehendiganj area in the remand plea. The victim Riaz’s mother, Safia Begum, filed the case on 9 September at Dhanmondi police station, where Azad was listed as accused number 132.
Azad’s younger brother Golam Kibria, general secretary of BNP’s Banglabazar unit, said he himself was injured in police baton charges during protests on 3 August last year near Kabi Nazrul College. He said Azad also joined demonstrations and was unfairly jailed.
Asked why Azad was arrested despite his role in the anti-discrimination movement, the investigating officer said the case and remand had followed standard procedure. He also said Azad held “many identities,” claiming links with multiple political groups.
TIMES of Bangladesh had made multiple attempts to reach Dhaka Metropolitan South Jamaat Ameer Nurul Islam Bulbul on phone for comments on Azad’s affiliation, but he did not respond till the filing of this report.
NCP leader in attempted murder case
Ahsanul Mahbub Jubair, a central committee member of the NCP, has also been named in a July attempted-murder case.
Jahidul Islam, who was shot in Gazipur on 20 July last year, filed a case against 227 people with the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court in Gazipur on 27 January 2025, where Jubair was listed as accused number 98.
The court ordered Gacha police station to register the case.
Jubair, an assistant manager at a buying house in Uttara, said he was targeted because he refused to pay extortion demanded by two local BNP leaders.
He claimed the local BNP leaders retaliated by inserting his name and the names of witnesses from the extortion case into the July attempted-murder case. Jubair says he has been facing harassment for over a year.
It should be noted that the plaintiff’s phone number was not included in the case documents, and residents of the address listed in the FIR said they did not know anyone by the plaintiff’s name.
Canadian citizen accused in July cases
Last year, three cases were filed against Mohammed Monir Uddin, a Canadian citizen and businessman, who is Jubair’s maternal uncle. Two cases were lodged at Uttara West police station and one at Uttara East.
Monir was in Canada throughout the July movement. He sent money to his nephew to support food and medical expenses for injured protesters and later donated Tk3 lakh to the state treasury after the formation of the Yunus government.
Monir’s three brothers and other members of his extended family are involved in Jamaat politics. His brothers live in Dhaka, Gazipur and Uttara, while his sister and brother-in-law are active in Feni district-level Jamaat unit.
Many have expressed surprise that Monir, despite living abroad, was named in the July cases.
Monir claimed that BNP activists had filed the cases after attempting to extort money from him. He said he had informed the police headquarters, law ministry and home ministry in writing and would notify the Bangladesh government through diplomatic channels if necessary.
When contacted, one plaintiff, Asadullah Nirab, said he did not know Monir, despite having named him as an accused.
Shot during movement, accused in July case
Another example is injured July protester and NCP organiser Tariqul Islam Samrat, is accused number 210 in an Uttara West police station case filed by a man named Mokbul Hossain.
Samrat was shot during the movement, yet his name was later added to an attempted murder case.
Samrat said a man who lost a land dispute with his family used BNP connections after 5 August last year to try to occupy their land. After being unsuccessful, he filed several cases in Dhaka, accusing Samrat and his relatives of participating in July violence.
Speaking to TIMES of Bangladesh, the plaintiff admitted he did not know whether Samrat had been injured in the movement and said he might recognise him only if seen in person.
Fahim Faisal Sourav, 28, a former Jagannath University student and Jamaat activist, was named as accused number 197 in an attempted-murder case filed at Sadarghat on 27 March last year. He previously belonged to Chhatra League before joining Jamaat in 2021 and participated in both the quota reform and one-point movements.
Sourav said he believed political rivals had added his name to the FIR and said cases should be filed only after proper investigation. The plaintiff could not be reached as the listed number remained switched off.
Saurav’s uncle, Masud Sheikh, who has no political affiliation, was also jailed for two months after being implicated in a movement-related case. He said local rivals involved in a land dispute had included his name.
The plaintiff, Zahidul Islam Junu, claimed Masud had links with Awami League, though he admitted Masud had no party post and that he had no video evidence of Masud’s involvement in violence.
Commenting on the matter, Assistant Legal Affairs Secretary of BNP’s National Executive Committee Advocate Syed Zainul Abedin Mesbah told TIMES, “The party had not directed anyone to file cases against individuals.
“If anyone implicated an innocent person out of personal enmity, the investigating officer would take action against the plaintiff, and the BNP would not bear responsibility for it.”
Never-ending cycle of harassment
Analysis of nearly 200 case dockets shows that ministers, MPs and ruling-party loyalists were frequently listed at the top, mid-level Awami League activists were placed in the middle, and large numbers of unaffiliated people were added at the end without political identities or evidence.
Court officials said plaintiffs in some cases had made settlements with accused individuals after taking large sums of money.
Investigators found instances of genuine victims being involved in frivolous cases, while some plaintiffs falsely presented themselves as injured or bereaved.
Responding to query, Additional Public Prosecutor Muhammad Shamsuddoha Sumon said, “Police arrested some accused based on video verification, and law allows investigators to recommend discharge before filing charge sheets if anyone had been wrongly accused.”
Meanwhile, former public prosecutor Ehsanul Haque Samaji said investigators must determine whether accusations were motivated and could submit interim reports before concluding the investigation to relieve wrongly accused people.
