A Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Court on Monday ordered authorities concerned for the exhumation of 114 unidentified bodies buried at the Rayerbazar graveyard in Dhaka city.
These people were reportedly killed in various parts of the capital city during the student-led mass uprising in July鈥揂ugust in 2024.
Dhaka chief metropolitan magistrate Mohammad Mostafizur Rahman passed the order following a petition submitted by Mohammadpur police sub-inspector Md Mahidul Islam, said additional public prosecutor Mohammad Shamsuddoha Suman.
According to the petition, men and women of different ages were killed at different times during the anti-discrimination movement in the city during the uprising.
A total of 114 unidentified bodies were buried at the Rayerbazar graveyard under the Mohammadpur police.
The petition also stated exhumation of the bodies was necessary for legal proceedings and also for identifying the victims through proper forensic procedures.
The order includes the preparation of post-mortem reports and the collection of DNA samples from the bodies to establish identities.
Once DNA profiling is completed and identities are confirmed, the bodies will be handed over to their families upon request, according to the court order.
The court also directed the Dhaka district magistrate to appoint an executive magistrate to oversee the process under Section 176(2) of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898.
Earlier on August 2, home affairs adviser retired Lieutenant General Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury visited the Rayerbazar mass grave site.
Talking to journalists, he stated that more than 100 people were buried there, many of whom remained unidentified.
He assured at the time that DNA tests would be conducted to confirm the identities of the bodies.