Bangladesh’s interim government is considering promulgating a special ordinance to provide legal immunity to participants of the 2024 July uprising, said sources in the intelligence establishments active in India’s neighbouring country.
According to intelligence agencies operating in Dhaka, discussions are underway to shield individuals identified as “July warriors” from prosecution for actions linked to the mass street protests that culminated in the ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League government.
The proposed legal measure is being compared to a post-independence law enacted by an Awami League administration that protected freedom fighters of the 1971 Liberation War.
Reports indicate that the issue was discussed at a meeting chaired by Home Adviser Lt Gen (retd) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury on Monday, where officials deliberated on declaring an ordinance to prevent future legal action against participants of the uprising.
The move follows recent arrests of individuals described as leaders of the July protests, which sparked widespread demonstrations. On December 25, law enforcement agencies arrested Tahrima Jannat Surovi, identified as a “July warrior,” on charges of extortion and blackmail. She was later released on bail by a court in Gazipur, on the outskirts of the capital.
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In a separate incident, police in northeastern Habiganj arrested Mahdi Hassan on Saturday after he and his supporters allegedly threatened the officer-in-charge at a local police station. He was granted bail by a Habiganj court the following day.
Both arrests triggered protests led by Students Against Discrimination (SAD), the organisation that spearheaded the July uprising. A major faction of SAD later went on to form the National Citizen Party (NCP). Demonstrations were reported in Dhaka, Habiganj, and several other areas, with protesters demanding the unconditional release of detained leaders and comprehensive legal protection for all “July warriors.”
The growing agitation has reportedly pushed the interim government to consider fast-tracking the ordinance, as authorities seek to prevent further unrest and address mounting pressure from student-led groups that played a central role in last year’s political upheaval.
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