On 25 January 2026, the Government of Bangladesh issued the July Mass Uprising (Protection and Determination of Liability) Ordinance, 2026, a presidential decree that grants sweeping immunity to all participants in the July 2024 uprising. According to the ordinance, all civil and criminal cases filed against the participants are to be withdrawn, no new cases may be filed, and ongoing proceedings are to be stayed upon application. Even in cases of serious criminal allegations, including murder, the ordinance transfers the investigative responsibility from the judiciary to the National Human Rights Commission, while simultaneously shielding current and former law enforcement personnel from accountability in certain circumstances.The government’s framing of the ordinance as a measure to “protect heroes of the July movement” is profoundly misleading and morally indefensible. The events of July and August 2024 were not merely a political protest—they were a period of unprecedented violence, destruction, and lawlessness, resulting in the deaths and injuries of civilians, political leaders, activists, and law enforcement officers, the targeted destruction of government and private property, and attacks on minority communities. Granting blanket impunity to those responsible for such acts is not protection—it is the institutionalization of impunity and the erosion of the very principles of justice and the rule of law.
The Human Cost of the July 2024 Uprising
During the uprising, numerous reports documented the killing of dozens of political leaders and activists, many of whom were targeted for their involvement in political activities or for supporting the government. Thousands of government supporter were injured in indiscriminate attacks, including assaults with firearms, blunt weapons, and improvised explosives. Law enforcement officers faced extreme violence: multiple police officers were killed, thousands injured, and hundreds of police stations attacked by organized mobs.
The scale of destruction was massive. Police stations were set ablaze, government offices vandalized, and public institutions looted. Homes, businesses, and shops were systematically destroyed, and private property vandalized, leaving citizens in fear and despair. Minority communities were particularly vulnerable; their homes and places of worship were attacked, looted, and in some cases burned. Families were displaced, and entire neighborhoods were terrorized.
The human toll extended beyond physical injuries and deaths. Survivors were left traumatized, communities destabilized, and public confidence in the state’s ability to protect citizens severely undermined. This was not spontaneous unrest—it was a coordinated wave of violence that disrupted public order across multiple cities and regions.
The Ordinance and the Institutionalization of Impunity
The July Mass Uprising Ordinance 2026 effectively places perpetrators above the law, allowing them to evade accountability for acts of murder, assault, arson, looting, and targeted attacks on vulnerable communities. No civil or criminal proceedings can be filed against participants, and ongoing cases must be stayed if an application is submitted.
Even where allegations of murder are concerned, the ordinance delegates investigative authority to the National Human Rights Commission. While the Commission is nominally independent, the ordinance simultaneously grants immunity to current and former law enforcement officials in certain cases, raising serious questions about impartiality and due process. Victims, their families, and affected communities have no judicial recourse, and decisions made by the Commission are final and binding, leaving no room for appeal or redress.
By removing judicial oversight and shielding perpetrators from legal accountability, the ordinance erodes the separation of powers, undermining the judiciary’s essential role as a guarantor of justice. It transforms the legal system from an instrument of justice into a vehicle for political expediency.
Legal and Constitutional Contradictions
The ordinance invokes Article 46 of the Constitution, asserting that participants were engaged in “political resistance” and thus entitled to protection. Yet Article 27 and other constitutional provisions guarantee equality before the law, the right to life, and access to justice. By shielding perpetrators while denying victims access to justice, the ordinance directly violates these principles.
Furthermore, Bangladesh is a party to numerous international human rights treaties, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which obligates states to hold perpetrators of criminal acts accountable and to protect the rights of victims. Blanket immunity is incompatible with these obligations and undermines Bangladesh’s international credibility and commitment to human rights.
Attacks on Minority Communities
The ordinance is particularly troubling for minority communities affected by the uprising. During the July 2024 events, reports documented targeted attacks on religious and ethnic minorities, including arson, vandalism, looting, and displacement from their homes. These attacks were often carried out by individuals claiming to act in the name of political resistance. By granting blanket immunity, the ordinance effectively legalizes these attacks, leaving minority communities without protection or recourse. This represents a direct threat to the principles of equality, non-discrimination, and human rights.
Violence Against Law Enforcement and Public Institutions
The uprising also saw unprecedented attacks on public order. Police stations, government offices, and other public institutions were systematically vandalized and set on fire. Law enforcement officers, tasked with maintaining law and order, faced targeted assaults: multiple officers were killed, thousands injured, and equipment destroyed. Hospitals, fire stations, and municipal facilities were damaged or destroyed in many cities, crippling essential public services.
The ordinance ignores these crimes, allowing perpetrators to evade accountability for attacks on public institutions, law enforcement, and the broader citizenry. By doing so, it undermines the state’s ability to protect citizens and maintain law and order, a foundational responsibility of any government.
Political Violence and the Normalization of Impunity
By framing the acts committed during the uprising as “political resistance,” the ordinance normalizes the use of violence for political purposes. This sets a dangerous precedent: political actors may now perceive that violence, murder, arson, and attacks on civilians or minority communities will not carry consequences if committed in pursuit of political objectives. This threatens democracy, public safety, and social cohesion.
International and Human Rights Implications
The July Mass Uprising Ordinance 2026 violates international human rights norms in multiple ways:
- Right to life and security: By shielding perpetrators from prosecution, the ordinance fails to protect the lives of victims and their families.
- Access to justice: Victims have no avenue to seek legal redress, contravening Article 14 of the ICCPR and fundamental principles of due process.
- Non-discrimination: Minority communities affected by targeted violence are left without protection or remedy, violating obligations under international human rights law.
The ordinance thus undermines Bangladesh’s commitments under both domestic and international law, raising questions about its adherence to human rights standards and the rule of law.
The Broader Impact on Society and Governance
The consequences of the ordinance extend beyond the immediate victims of the uprising. By institutionalizing impunity, it weakens the deterrent function of law, emboldens potential perpetrators of political violence, and undermines public trust in government institutions. Citizens are left with the perception that political affiliation can shield individuals from accountability, while ordinary people, minority communities, and public servants bear the brunt of unchecked violence.
Moreover, the ordinance threatens the integrity of the judiciary and the state’s credibility in upholding justice. By bypassing courts, limiting oversight, and delegating authority to a politically influenced body, the law destroys the essential checks and balances of a democratic system.
Conclusion
The July Mass Uprising Ordinance 2026 is not a protection of citizens—it is a legalization of violence. It institutionalizes impunity for murders, assaults, arson, looting, vandalism, and attacks on minority communities and public institutions. By removing judicial oversight, shielding perpetrators, and denying victims access to justice, the ordinance represents a profound threat to democracy, the rule of law, and human rights in Bangladesh.
Justice cannot be selective. No political narrative or claim of resistance can justify murder, destruction, or terror. The government must repeal this ordinance immediately, ensure accountability for all criminal acts committed during the July uprising, and restore access to justice for victims, families, and communities affected by the violence.
Failure to act risks normalizing political violence, eroding democratic institutions, and undermining the very foundations of law and order in Bangladesh. No one is above the law, and justice delayed or denied is justice denied. The July Mass Uprising Ordinance 2026 is a stark reminder that protecting perpetrators at the expense of victims is incompatible with any democratic society.
Advocate Shahanur Islam is a human rights lawyer; laureate of the French Government’s Marianne Initiative for Human Rights Defenders (2023); and founder-president of JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF). Contact: shahanur.islam@jmbf.org; www.jmbf.org
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