The Canada-based Global Center for Democratic Governance (GCDG) has released a comprehensive report detailing the July riots, highlighting attacks on prisons leading to the release of militants, mass destruction of police infrastructure, brutal police killings, and unfair institutional punishment against law enforcement personnel.
Bangladeshโs history bears the scars of a rare and chilling crime: the use of prisons as sites of political violence. That grim chapter first unfolded in 1975 and, nearly five decades later, resurfaced in 2024 under vastly different circumstances, yet with disturbingly similar consequences.
Read The Full Report Here
On November 3, 1975, less than three months after the assassination of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, four of the countryโs most senior national leaders were brutally killed inside Dhaka Central Jail. The victims, former Acting President Syed Nazrul Islam, former Prime Minister Tajuddin Ahmad, M. Mansur Ali, and A.H.M. Qamaruzzaman, then president of the Bangladesh Awami League, were key architects of the 1971 Liberation War.
The killings, carried out by renegade elements of the military, came with state patronage and followed the August 15, 1975, assassination of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and most members of his family. November 3 marked the first-ever attack on a prison in Bangladeshโs history, leaving an indelible stain on the nationโs post-independence narrative.
For nearly half a century thereafter, no such incident was recorded. That precedent was broken in 2024 during the nationwide anti-discrimination movement, which triggered widespread unrest under the interim government.
Wave of Prison Attacks Shatters Security
The GCDG report documents confirmed attacks on 17 prisons across Bangladesh during July and August 2024, marking an unprecedented breach of the nation’s correctional system. In the ensuing chaos, 2,247 prisoners escaped from five facilities, with two prisons completely emptied of inmates. At least 16 prisoners were killed in extrajudicial actions amid the violence.
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Key incidents include the July 19 assault on Narsingdi District Jail, where attackers held 160 guards hostage, looted 85 firearms and ammunition, and freed 826 prisoners, including nine militants from groups like Ansarullah Bangla Team and JMB. The facility was set ablaze, destroying vital documents. As of August 2025, 142 escapees from this jail remain at large.
Similar attacks unfolded in Sherpur on August 5, where all 527 inmates escaped after looters seized nine firearms and hundreds of rounds of ammunition. In Satkhira, 596 prisoners fled, including 27 lifers and two death row inmates. Other notable breaches occurred at Kashimpur High Security Prison (209 escapees, including 88 on death row), Kushtia (105 escapees), and Gazipur, where clashes left 25 prisoners injured.
Protests even erupted inside prisons, such as at Sirajganj, where inmates demanded release following the freeing of anti-discrimination detainees by presidential order.
Dangerous Militants and Criminals Set Free
The escapes have profound implications for national security, according to the report. As of August 21, 2025, 724 fugitives remain unaccounted for, including 99 convicted criminals, 84 death row inmates, nine convicted militants (four on death row), and 70 facing terrorism charges.
High-profile cases involve suspects from the 2009 BDR mutiny, defendants in the Abrar Fahad murder (which sparked nationwide outrage in 2019), and other anti-terrorism prosecutions. Unrecovered loot from these attacks includes 29 firearms and 7,478 rounds of ammunition, further exacerbating risks.
The report warns that these releases undermine justice and public safety, echoing the 1975 prison violence by exposing vulnerabilities in the rule of law.
Massive Destruction and Looting of Police Facilities
Beyond prisons, the unrest targeted police infrastructure on an alarming scale. The GCDG factsheet, citing Police Headquarters data, reports attacks on 460 establishments nationwide, with 58 police stations, 26 outposts, and others set ablaze. Vandalism affected hundreds more, including 56 stations and 73 auxiliary facilities.
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In the Dhaka Metropolitan Police jurisdiction alone, 21 stations were vandalised and 10 torched. Nationwide, 300 police vehicles were completely burned and 548 damaged, with total losses estimated at 607 crore taka (about US$50 million).
Looting was systematic: 5,756 firearms and 652,082 rounds of ammunition were stolen, with 1,343 weapons and 257,648 rounds still missing as of October 2025. No cases have been filed for these incidents, and intelligence suggests the arms are fueling a surge in murders, robberies, and extortion by criminal groups.
Key attacks included the August 5 assault on Police Headquarters, Rajarbagh Police Lines, and the IGP’s residence, where extensive vandalism and looting occurred. In Dhaka, stations like Mirpur Model (152 weapons looted), Mohammadpur (145 weapons), and Jatrabari (152 weapons) were razed.
Brutal Killings of Police and Security Personnel
The human toll on law enforcement is stark. Official figures cite 44 police officers killed, but independent sources suggest the number may exceed this, with 187 officers still missing post-movement. The report details gruesome methods, including beatings, hangings, and burnings.
The deadliest single incident was at Enayetpur Police Station in Sirajganj on August 4, where 15 officers, including OC Md. Abdur Razzak were beaten to death. Other hotspots included Jatrabari (8 killed), Uttara East, and Shyampur.
Profiles of victims highlight the tragedy: Naik Md. Gias Uddin, hanged from a footbridge; Inspector Md. Masud Parvez Bhuiyan, hacked in Rampura, and Sub-Inspector Santosh Chowdhury, handed over to a mob by army negotiators and lynched.
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Additionally, one BGB member and two Ansar personnel were killed, with 64 BGB and hundreds of police injured, including 637 with limb losses and over 3,000 seriously hurt.
Absence of Justice and Indemnity Grants
Despite the brutality, no murder cases have been filed for the police killings. The interim government has reportedly banned such filings and granted indemnity to those involved in the attacks during the movement.
This has sparked despair among victims’ families, who fear reprisals and see no path to justice. The report criticises this as eroding police morale and institutional trust, potentially worsening law and order.
Unfair Institutional Punishments and Forced Retirements
The GCDG report also exposes post-unrest reprisals against police. Fifty-three senior officers (Additional DIG and above) were forced into retirement, along with nine inspectors and probationary BCS (Police) cadres dismissed.
Arrests of officers and the barring of 321 trained sub-inspectors from joining service are cited as examples of unfair punishment, further demoralising the force.
The report calls these actions unjust, urging accountability and reform to restore confidence in law enforcement.
Long-Term Implications for Security
The GCDG emphasises that the July-August 2024 events represent one of the gravest assaults on Bangladesh’s security framework since independence. With looted arms circulating, escaped militants at large, and unaddressed police killings, the nation faces heightened risks of violence and instability.
Published on December 24, the report urges immediate recovery of weapons, justice for victims, and an end to punitive measures against officers. As Bangladesh navigates its interim governance, addressing these scars is crucial for rebuilding democratic institutions and public safety.
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