Online Report
At least 52 civilians were killed on August 5, 2024, in indiscriminate police firing in Jatrabari, one of Dhaka’s busiest neighborhoods, according to a recent investigation by BBC Eye.
The report states that the incident occurred on the same day former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was ousted from power amid massive student-led protests that had continued for 36 consecutive days. On that day, some of the deadliest police violence in Bangladesh’s history unfolded in Jatrabari. BBC confirmed the death toll through analysis of hundreds of videos and photographs, eyewitness testimonies, and multiple field visits to the site.Bangladeshi cuisine recipes
Although various reports by the United Nations and other media outlets had mentioned the violence, the BBC investigation uncovered new, critical details about how the massacre began, how it escalated, and how many lives were lost—details that had not previously come to light.
One of the most vital pieces of evidence in the investigation is a mobile phone video, recorded moments before the shooting began. The footage was captured by a protester named Miraj Hossain, who was later killed in the gunfire. After his death, his family recovered his phone and handed over the video to BBC. Metadata analysis of the footage revealed that the indiscriminate shooting began at 2:43 PM on August 5.
The video shows a group of army personnel initially positioned at the front gate of Jatrabari Police Station. Shortly afterward, they abruptly retreat. Moments later, police officers from inside the station begin firing directly into the crowd of protesters gathered at the gate.
CCTV footage from a nearby building shows protesters running into alleyways in an attempt to escape. In another video from that day, police officers can be seen kicking injured people lying on the ground.
BBC’s investigation found that the shooting lasted for over 30 minutes in front of the police station. Drone footage obtained by BBC shows that police were still firing on protesters on the main highway outside Jatrabari Police Station as late as 3:17 PM. A large group of people was later seen taking shelter in a temporary army barracks located across the street from the station.
Initial reports indicated that around 30 protesters were killed that day. However, after verifying hospital records, interviewing victims’ families, cross-checking media reports, and analyzing social media posts, the BBC concluded that at least 52 civilians were killed during the Jatrabari massacre. In addition, at least six police officers were also killed in the incident.
This chilling episode stands as one of the most tragic and controversial moments in Bangladesh’s recent political history.