On the night of July 19, 2024, two bodies hung from the Rayerbag footbridge in Dhaka’s Jatrabari neighborhood—both wearing uniforms of the Bangladesh Police.
One was Inspector Md Gias Uddin, 56, of the Protection Division. The other, Assistant Sub-Inspector Mohammad Moktadir, 48, of the Tourist Police.
Both were lynched by mobs during the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement. Both were unarmed. Both were fathers.
One year later, their families—and those of 42 other police personnel killed during the July–August uprising—are still waiting for justice.
A widow’s plea, a son’s silence
“I have lost faith in the justice system,” says Jesmin Sultana, Gias Uddin’s widow, speaking from her in-laws’ home in Sonargaon.
“He was due to retire in six years. He avoided protest duty because he feared unrest. Yet they killed him brutally.”
Her husband’s body was found hanging from the footbridge, beaten beyond recognition.
A murder case was filed on July 24 by his nephew, naming unknown BNP-Jamaat activists.
Jubo League activist Irfan alias Roman later confessed under Section 164 of the Criminal Procedure Code. But the case has stalled.
Jesmin was summoned to the Detective Branch office months ago but didn’t go.
“I have no desire to pursue this anymore,” she says. “Was the sacrifice of so many lives worth it?”
For ASI Moktadir’s son, Mahfuzur Rahman Tonoy, a third-year medical student, the pain is compounded by irony.
He had joined the protests himself, denied admission to government medical colleges due to quota policies. His father supported him.
“He carried his uniform in a shopping bag that night,” Mahfuzur recalls. “He was unarmed. They beat him to death just for wearing it. Then they hung his body like a trophy.”
His mother remains traumatized.
“What use is justice when my father will not return?” Mahfuzur asks. “I don’t even want to know the status of the case anymore.”
44 deaths, 0 convictions
According to data from Police Headquarters, 44 police personnel were killed between July 20 and August 14, 2024. The dead included:
- 21 constables
- 11 sub-inspectors
- 8 assistant sub-inspectors
- 3 inspectors
- 1 naik
The bloodiest days were August 4 and 5, with 15 and 25 deaths respectively.
Many officers died from mob beatings, gunfire, or arson. Some succumbed to injuries days later.
Five murder cases were filed:
- Three at Jatrabari Police Station
- One at Sonaimuri Police Station, Noakhali
- One at Enayetpur Police Station, Sirajganj
But none have yielded convictions.
In Jatrabari, four officers were killed on August 5, including Constable Abdul Majid. His widow, Shahjadi Begum, filed a case on September 23 against unidentified assailants. No active investigation is underway.
Two earlier cases—one for Gias Uddin, one for Moktadir—were transferred to the Detective Branch. No suspects named. No progress reported.
The Sirajganj massacre
The deadliest single incident occurred at Enayetpur Police Station in Sirajganj on August 5.
Protesters stormed the station, beat 15 officers to death—including Officer-in-Charge Abdur Razzak—and set the building ablaze.
Bodies were found near a mosque, in a pond, and hanging from a tree.
A murder case was filed. Nine suspects have been arrested. But according to Officer-in-Charge Md Ruhul Amin, post-mortem reports are still pending.
“The investigation is ongoing,” he told Dhaka Tribune. “It’s difficult to say when it will be completed.”
Justice deferred, trust eroded
The lack of progress has left families disillusioned. Some, like Jesmin and Mahfuzur, have stopped following the cases.
Others fear retaliation or political manipulation. In several cases, plaintiffs later submitted affidavits stating they didn’t recognize the accused or hadn’t named them—raising concerns about coerced or politicized filings.
The July–August uprising claimed over 844 lives, according to government estimates.
While student deaths have drawn international attention, the deaths of police officers—many of whom were not on duty—have faded from public discourse.
As Bangladesh marks the anniversary of the Monsoon Revolution, the question remains: who mourns the men in uniform?
Until justice is served, the footbridge at Rayerbag will remain more than a landmark. It will be a monument to a broken promise.