I agree with the new Home Minister that a comprehensive re-evaluation of all FIRs relating to the July 2024 killings and injuries is necessary. Only those individuals against whom there is credible evidence of involvement in the alleged crimes should remain named.
The names of others should be removed from the FIRs - and if they have already been arrested, cases against them should be quashed. Inclusion in an FIR should now depend on the existence of evidence that meets a defined threshold — such as photographic, video, audio, mobile phone records, or other reliable and verifiable material that substantively supports the allegation.
BNP should approach the matter carefully and deliberately. The new government has inherited a deeply flawed and chaotic set of July 2024 FIRs from the interim administration.
At the same time, this review process should not be left solely to local-level decision-making, which risks inconsistency and potential corruption. A centralised, independent unit comprising senior police officers and prosecutors should be established to oversee the review. Such a body could also coordinate with the International Crimes Tribunal’s investigations to ensure coherence and avoid duplication or contradiction.
The families of those killed and injured during the July protests deserve accountability. That accountability, however, must rest on a process that is transparent, rigorous and evidence-based. It must not appear to be a mechanism for shielding the guilty, nor should it allow innocent individuals to continue facing harassment or detention without proper grounds.
It is encouraging that the Home Minister has begun to address this issue. However, BNP should approach the matter carefully and deliberately. The new government has inherited a deeply flawed and chaotic set of July 2024 FIRs from the interim administration.
Correcting this situation will require thoughtful reform — ensuring that innocent individuals are no longer subjected to unjust investigation or detention, while also guaranteeing that those against whom credible evidence exists are properly investigated and, where appropriate, prosecuted. This is no easy task for it to be done credibly - but it is a task that must be done.
* David Bergman is a senior journalist