July uprising: Recognise UN report as historic document

The High Court yesterday directed the government to declare the fact-finding report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNHCHR) on human rights violations during last year's mass uprising as a historical document.

The court also ordered the authorities concerned of the government to publish the UN report in a gazette notification in order to preserve it as evidence and knowledge for future generations and asked the law ministry to submit a progress report on this issue in three months, Deputy Attorney General Mohammed Shafiqur Rahman told The Daily Star.

The High Court bench of Justice Fahmida Quader and Justice Sayed Jahed Mansur issued the directive and order following a public interest writ petition filed by Supreme Court lawyer Md Tanvir Ahmed.

The lawyer submitted the petition on August 13 last year seeking HC directives on the interim government to take necessary actions against those responsible for "sustaining fascist rule" and mass killing of protesters during the uprising.

Following the petition, the HC on August 15 last year issued a rule questioning the authorities' apathy and their reluctance to take action against those responsible for "sustaining fascist rule" and mass killing during the uprising.

The fact-finding team of the UNHCHR office analysed human rights violations in Bangladesh between July 1 and August 15, 2024, after speaking to many protesters, including those seriously injured and published a report on this issue in February this year.

Later, the writ petitioner submitted a supplementary petition to the HC in May this year, attaching the UNHCHR report.

In response, the HC on May 14 this year issued another rule asking the authorities to explain why the UN report should not be declared as a "historical document" and why the report should not be preserved as evidence for future generations.

After holding a hearing on the rule, the HC bench issued the directives yesterday.

Writ petitioner Advocate Tanvir Ahmed himself moved the petition, while deputy attorney generals Mohammed Shafiqur Rahman and Tanim Khan and Assistant Attorney General Eakramul Kabir represented the state.