A year since uprising: False cases, mass accusations threaten justice for July murder

Highlights:

• Charge sheets submitted in only 19 out of 1,930 cases 
• Over 100,000 accused named across these cases
• False and inflated cases often part of extortion efforts 
• Personal disputes being disguised as July murder cases
• Procedural loopholes allow immediate case filings without prior verification

When Zahidul Islam Raju appeared in court last October, he presented himself as a grieving father. He claimed his 11-year-old son Jihad had been shot during the anti-discrimination protests last year in Keraniganj and died weeks later. The court ordered police to record the case that named 118 people as accused.

But months later, the story unraveled: Jihad is alive.

Raju confessed he had been promised Tk30 lakh and four kathaof land to file the murder case.

This was no isolated blunder. Police, lawyers, and July atrocity victims say it reflects a growing pattern clogging the justice system with false and inflated cases, many linked to the politically charged violence during the uprising.

The story of Obaidul Haque's death in Jatrabari reveals how the system can be exploited. Obaidul, from Cumilla, was shot to death on 5 August.

Yet, a person named Md Ali filed a case claiming Obaidul had died the day before, naming former prime minister Sheikh Hasina and up to 200 Awami League activists as the accused.

Obaidul's widow, Mariam, filed a case days later over her husband's muder. She accused Ali of launching a false case to extort money and said Ali was a stranger to the family.

When police tried to contact Ali, the complaint's number was answered by someone denying filing the case. The investigating officer has moved to merge the two cases and tried to locate Ali but failed.

Inspector General of Police (IGP) Baharul Alam acknowledges that "case-based extortions" are longstanding but says efforts are underway to curb them.

"Still, with tens of thousands of names to verify, the backlog is feared to intensify, stretching trials and eroding public trust," he told The Business Standard.

For families of real victims, the wait for justice grows agonisingly longer as trials stall indefinitely amid an overwhelmed system.

Justice delayed, loopholes exploited

During the movement, Dhaka's Jatrabari was a major hotspot of unrest. In connection with killings during the anti-discrimination protests, a total of 142 cases were filed with Jatrabari and Demrapolice stations. According to police sources, irregularities have been identified in at least 12 of these cases.

According to data from the police headquarters, 1,730 cases have so far been filed over attacks on students and protesters during the anti-discrimination movement. More than 100,000 people have been made accused in these cases. 

Investigators say multiple cases have been filed over the death of the same person. In some instances, people shown as deceased in case files were actually alive. Some cases list two to three hundred accused, while there are allegations that individuals with no involvement in the incidents were named as accused in an attempt to extort money. They added that mass inclusion of accused is also prolonging investigations.

Investigators warn that such volume makes timely investigations nearly impossible. Every name and fact must be verified, delaying justice for real victims while both the guilty and innocent remain stuck in legal limbo.

Former IGP Ashraful Huda cautions that when hundreds are accused in one case, quick investigations become unfeasible. "The scale only guarantees long delays," he told TBS.

For those wrongly accused, the consequences are severe: years of stigma, financial strain, and relentless court appearances.

Case-based extortions in plain sight

False cases are not only political weapons but often stem from personal disputes.

Businessman Ibrahim Patwari knows the cost. A BNP supporter by family background, he has lived in Dhaka for over two decades.

Last October, his name appeared in an attempted murder case in Feni linked to ruling party activists. The real reason was a long-running land dispute with a relative.

"Without reason, I was harassed and financially harmed," Patwari said. "Once the dispute was settled, the cases and harassment disappeared overnight."

Former IGP Nur Mohammad highlights a major procedural change that worsens the problem. "Previously, police verified facts before registering cases, or courts ordered inquiries. Now, courts mandate immediate registration without checks."

This shift opened the door to sweeping, often unverified accusations, creating fertile ground for abuse and extortion.