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Bangladesh: Victims of uprising crackdown await justice

04:23

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Arafatul Islam | Nahid Anjuman both in Dhaka
August 4, 2025

One year after Bangladesh's deadly uprising that saw a student-led movement topple former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's government, DW spoke to two families of victims in Dhaka who are seeking accountability.

Mosharraf Hossain lost his daughter Meherun Nesa Tanha during last year's uprising that ended former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's 15-year rule in Bangladesh. "A massive firing was taking place on this street. A bullet pierced through Tanha and hit another woman standing behind her. I rushed here from downstairs and saw my daughter lying here with her neck tilted. Blood stains are still here," Hossain said.

22-year-old Tanha was killed on August 5 last year. That same day, Hasina fled to India, where she has remained since.   

Hossain told DW he had filed a case in Dhaka's International Crimes Tribunal. "[I accused] those who ordered the killing, Sheikh Hasina and her ministers."

Hasina's Awami League insists that its leader was not responsible for directing the use of force against protesters during last year's uprising.

On the other side of Dhaka, the brother of Mir Mahfuzur Rahman Mugdho, told DW that his brother was distributing water to protesters on July 18 when a bullet struck him in the head. 

Prosecutors have accused Hasina of directing the violent crackdown. UN human rights investigators estimated that up to 1,400 people were killed.

Hasina has been charged with crimes against humanity by Bangladesh's International Crimes Tribunal, a court she set up while in power.

The former leader has rejected the charges as politically motivated. Bangladesh's interim government has asked India to extradite her to face trial in person.