Dhaka: Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus today emphasized the importance of DNA sample collection in identifying those buried as unclaimed during the July Uprising of 2024, marking it as a substantial step toward achieving justice for their families. ‘This effort to uncover the truth and give back the identities of the martyrs represents a significant progress toward justice for families of the missing people and reflects the moral responsibility of the state,’ he stated.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the Chief Adviser made these remarks after receiving a report on DNA sample collection from the remains of 114 unidentified individuals interred at Rayerbazar Graveyard during the uprising. The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of Bangladesh Police executed the collection, while Prof Yunus extended his gratitude to those involved in the initiative.
Highlighting the severe actions of the then government, Prof Yunus described the killing and mass burial of citizens as rare in world history, emphasizing that such acts are unimaginable in a civilized state. He asserted that the DNA identification process demonstrates the inevitability of truth prevailing and pledged that the identities and sacrifices of those killed will be etched in the nation’s history.
The initiative, he noted, goes beyond forensic activity; it aims to console grieving families, restore the state’s humane image, and courageously pursue justice. Prof Yunus offered hope to families still awaiting news of their loved ones, assuring them that the truth will eventually surface.
The DNA collection, supervised by the Ministry of Liberation War Affairs and supported by the Ministries of Home Affairs and Health and Family Welfare, ran from December 7 to December 27, 2025. The report indicates that nine families have submitted DNA samples, leading to the successful identification of eight martyrs through forensic testing. These individuals were confirmed to have died from gunshot wounds: Shaheed Sohel Rana (38), Shaheed Rafiqul Islam (52), Shaheed Asadullah (32), Shaheed Mahin Mia (32), Shaheed Faisal Sarkar (26), Shaheed Parvez Bepari (23), Shaheed Kabil Hossain (58), and Shaheed Rafiqul Islam (29).
To maintain transparency and adhere to international standards, the initiative received guidance and training from Dr. Morris Tidball-Binz, an expert in forensic science. The CID has urged families with missing members from the uprising to contact their hotline.
Attendees at the occasion included Liberation War Affairs Adviser Faruk-E-Azam, Dhaka Medical College Hospital’s Dr. Kazi Golam Mukhlasur Rahman, CID Chief Md Sibgat Ullah, and UN representative Md Zahid Hossain. CID Chief Md Sibgat Ullah shared a poignant story of a martyr’s mother who frequently visited a specific grave site, which coincidentally turned out to be her son’s resting place. He noted that the establishment of a laboratory at the site has significantly boosted police operations.