On 4 August 2024, thousands of protesters took to the streets and ‘engaged in pitched battles’ against police and Awami League supporters, as reported by Prothom Alo.1850 The Daily Star reported on Dhaka and all other major towns turning into ‘battlefields’ between ‘students alongside common people and government forces’.1851 Almost 100 people were killed,1852 in day-long clashes.1853 The Daily Star reported on intense clashes in Jatrabari, ‘in the final days’ of fighting, without specifying a date, where police and security forces shot at protesters from vehicles and helicopters and made use of drones to identify their exact positions. A protester described how bodies were piling up, and stated that ‘[p]olice only stopped shooting at protesters when they ran out of ammunition’.1854 Protest-related deaths were reported, inter alia, in the cities of Dhaka, Feni and Lakshmipur (Chattogram Division).1855 Police and Awami League supporters attacked protesters by firing lethal ammunition in Ashulia (Savar),1856 in Mirpur, and other places in Dhaka,1857 and also clashed with protesters blocking important roads and starting fires in Uttara1858 and also in Bogura1859 where three died by bullet injuries and 35 more were injured by gunfire, according to Prothom Alo.1860 Prothom Alo also reported on chases and counter-chases in Munshiganj, between protesters and Awami League supporters, while the police fired teargas. Many protesters, about 40–50 people, were injured by bullets.1861
Awami League supporters attacked protesters with firearms in several areas,1862 including in Cumilla, where armed Awami League supporters reportedly carried out attacks in formations for the second day and fired at protesters from buildings.1863 In Chattogram City, a combined force of police and Awami League members shot at and injured at least 24 people. According to Prothom Alo, Awami League shot several rounds before police arrived at the scene and fired teargas and sound grenades.1864 In Feni, 300–400 Awami League supporters attacked protesters.1865 Eight persons reportedly died1866 and 79 were injured.1867 Awami League supporters also chased and shot at protesters at Dhanmondi Road 27 in Dhaka,1868 in Narsingdi, where they shot at least four individuals blocking an important highway1869 and in Rangpur, where Awami League supporters, including the city councillor, shot at protesters.1870 In Narsingdi and Rangpur, protesters retaliated and lynched their attackers.1871 According to UN OHCHR protesters in Rangpur dragged the local councillor’s body through the streets.1872 Journalists were also reportedly ‘severely beaten’ during clashes in Rangpur, when identified as media personnel.1873
From 4 August 2024 and on, ‘the most serious revenge killings’ against police and Awami League supporters took place, according to UN OHCHR, as the government was ‘increasingly loosing control of the country’.1874 In Sirajganj, 22 people were killed1875 including 15 policemen at the Enayetpur police station, and five local Awami League officials alongside a journalist during an attack against an Awami League office in Rayganj.1876 As reported by UN OHCHR, one of the Awami League officials ‘was beaten to death after first being publicly humiliated, by being forced to do squats while holding his ears.’1877 In Shahbagh, several thousand protested, and some chased and clashed with Awami League supporters chanting slogans outside Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University. Protesters reportedly went inside the hospital looking for ruling party activists and vandalised 35 vehicles,1878 including an ambulance.1879
Mobile internet was shut down again,1880 and the government declared an indefinite ‘shoot-on-sight’ curfew,1881 and three days of public holiday starting on 5 August 2024.1882 Meanwhile, the student movement announced the programme ‘March on Dhaka’ to take place the next day and called on protesters across the country to march towards the capital.1883
On 5 August 2024, many defied the curfew in the early morning, despite heavy police and military presence.1884 The Daily Star reported on at least a million people marching from different parts of the country, and that hundreds of thousands approached Hasina’s official residence.1885 According to UN OHCHR, the army and security forces were ordered to stop the march by force, but while ‘[t]he police shot and killed many protesters’, the army and BGB ‘largely stood by’ and let them pass. UN OHCHR however noted one case where soldiers shot ‘indiscriminately’ at protesters at Jamuna Future Park, shooting one man to death at a very close range, and thereafter beating protesters with sticks to disperse them.1886
Sources noted a peak in violence on 5 August 2024.1887 UN OHCHR estimated that almost 400 people were killed on this day, many due to government efforts to stop the ‘March on Dhaka’.1888 Police fired at protesters in various places,1889 and ‘indiscriminate’ police fire was reported in Chankharpul in Dhaka Division,1890 and the Dhaka City neighbourhoods of Ashulia,1891 Azampur and on Rampura bridge.1892
Law enforcement also opened fire at protesters assembling outside police stations, including in the Dhaka neighborhood of Jatrabari, killing at least 30 people.1893 UN OHCHR reported that the police stormed out of the station in the afternoon ‘in formation while shooting their rifles and shotguns’, and that they ‘intentionally shot and killed several unarmed protesters at close range’.1894 Police also shot at protesters assembling outside and attacking police stations in Uttara, killing at least 10 people,1895 in the city of Kushtia, killing at least eight people,1896 in the village of Baniachang in Sylhet Division,1897 and in Shibganj (Rajshahi Division).1898 Protesters also attacked a police station in Ashulia (Dhaka Division), by throwing bricks and other objects. Police reportedly responded with ‘indiscriminate’ fire,1899 ‘using military rifles loaded with lethal ammunition’.1900 The police later piled dead bodies into a van and set it on fire.1901 According to UN OHCHR, this was carried out on the order of senior police officials, with the apparent intent to ‘create the false impression that the victims had been killed by protesters’.1902 According to Human Rights Watch, at least one person was burned alive while being handcuffed, and police fatally shot people trying to put out the fire.1903
The army chief decided that the army would not open fire on civilians to enforce the curfew,1904 and informed the prime minister’s office in the afternoon of 5 August 2024 that the army would not be able to prevent protesters from reaching Hasina’s official residence. Just before protesters stormed it, around 14:00, Hasina left the country in a helicopter flying to India.1905 As Hasina escaped, retaliatory violence surged.1906 Many Awami Leage leaders and activists, as well as their houses, were attacked.1907 Retaliatory violence also targeted the police, media outlets and ‘others perceived as affiliated with the Awami League’. Some religious and indigenous groups were also attacked.1908 Out of 326 deaths recorded by Prothom Alo on 4–6 August 2024, 87 were Awami League supporters and 36 were police.1909 The same source reported on government installations being attacked in 39 districts on 4 August 2024, including ‘[h]ouses of public representatives, Awami League offices, [and] police stations’.1910 The parliament was also stormed1911 and vandalised,1912 as well as the official residence of Hasina.1913 The Zabeer International Hotel in the city of Jashore, reportedly owned by a prominent local Awami League leader,1914 was also set on fire,1915 causing the deaths of 24 people.1916
According to the police, 450 out of 639 police stations were either destroyed or damaged.1917 Crowds attacked and torched police stations in various places. They also killed police officers,1918 including by lynching them.1919 In the Dhaka neighbourhoods of Jatrabari,1920 Uttara, and the Dhaka suburb Ashuila, the bodies of killed police officers were ‘strung up in public places’, as reported by UN OHCHR.1921 On 6–7 August 2024, DMCH received 15 bodies of police officers beaten or shot to death, and some bodies were mutilated.1922 Some police officers continued to shoot at crowds after Hasina left the country; some people, including children, were for example shot during celebration parades.1923
Mobs attacked and torched several media outlets, including Ekattor TV, Somoy TV, ATN Bangla,1924 Channel 24,1925 ATN News TV,1926 and reportedly also DBC News, My TV, Bijoy TV, Gazi TV,1927 and Gaan Bangla TV.1928
More information on the aftermath of the fall of the former government and the violence that followed is available in section 6.1. Public order, crime and mob violence.
- 1850
Prothom Alo, At least 97 die across country on a day of carnage, 4 August 2024, url
- 1851
Daily Star (The), A chronicle of the July Uprising, n.d., url
- 1852
Al Jazeera, How Bangladesh’s ‘Gen Z’ protests brought down PM Sheikh Hasina, 7 August 2024, url
- 1853
Prothom Alo, At least 97 die across country on a day of carnage, 4 August 2024, url
- 1854
Daily Star (The), A chronicle of the July Uprising, n.d., url
- 1855
Prothom Alo, Six Awami League men beaten to death after they open fire, 4 August 2024, url
- 1856
UN OHCHR, Human Rights Violations and Abuses Related to the Protests of July and August 2024 in Bangladesh, 12 February 2025, url, para. 96; Somoy TV, Massacre in Ashulia: Chilling eyewitness accounts surface, 2 September 2024, url
- 1857
UN OHCHR, Human Rights Violations and Abuses Related to the Protests of July and August 2024 in Bangladesh, 12 February 2025, url, para. 96; Prothom Alo, What happened across the country Sunday, 5 August 2024, url
- 1858
Prothom Alo, Demonstrators gain control of street after clashes with police and AL in Azampur, Uttara, 4 August 2024, url; Dhaka Tribune, Protesters, police, Awami League clash in Uttara's Azampur, 4 August 2024, url
- 1859
Daily Star (The), 93 killed on day of carnage; AL defers Monday's programmes, 4 August 2024, url
- 1860
Prothom Alo, Police-protesters clashes in Bogura kill 3, 4 August 2024, url
- 1861
Prothom Alo, Two die from bullet wounds, 50 injured in Munshiganj, 4 August 2024, url
- 1862
Daily Star (The), 93 killed on day of carnage; AL defers Monday's programmes, 4 August 2024, url
- 1863
UN OHCHR, Human Rights Violations and Abuses Related to the Protests of July and August 2024 in Bangladesh, 12 February 2025, url, para. 95
- 1864
Prothom Alo, Clashes at Chattogram, 24 hospitalised with bullet wounds, 4 August 2024, url
- 1865
UN OHCHR, Human Rights Violations and Abuses Related to the Protests of July and August 2024 in Bangladesh, 12 February 2025, url, para. 212
- 1866
UN OHCHR, Human Rights Violations and Abuses Related to the Protests of July and August 2024 in Bangladesh, 12 February 2025, url, para. 212; Daily Star (The), 93 killed on day of carnage; AL defers Monday's programmes, 4 August 2024, url
- 1867
UN OHCHR, Human Rights Violations and Abuses Related to the Protests of July and August 2024 in Bangladesh, 12 February 2025, url, para. 212
- 1868
Prothom Alo, Awami League men open fire, chase protesters at Dhanmondi Rd 27, 4 August 2024, url; Dhaka Tribune, Dhaka Tribune female journo assaulted in Dhanmondi, 4 August 2024, url
- 1869
Prothom Alo, Six Awami League men beaten to death after they open fire, 4 August 2024, url
- 1870
UN OHCHR, Human Rights Violations and Abuses Related to the Protests of July and August 2024 in Bangladesh, 12 February 2025, url, para. 213
- 1871
Prothom Alo, Six Awami League men beaten to death after they open fire, 4 August 2024, url; Dhaka Tribune, 6 Narsingdi Awami League leaders, activists beaten to death, 4 August 2024, url; Netra News, Claims of sectarian motives in nine Hindu deaths falter under scrutiny, 30 October 2024, url
- 1872
UN OHCHR, Human Rights Violations and Abuses Related to the Protests of July and August 2024 in Bangladesh, 12 February 2025, url, para. 213
- 1873
Dhaka Tribune, 4 killed, several injured in Rangpur clash, 4 August 2024, url
- 1874
UN OHCHR, Human Rights Violations and Abuses Related to the Protests of July and August 2024 in Bangladesh, 12 February 2025, url, para. 212
- 1875
Prothom Alo, At least 97 die across country on a day of carnage, 4 August 2024, url; Bdnews24.com, Anti-government protesters attack AL office in Raiganj, kill 6 amid unrest, 5 August 2024, url
- 1876
Bdnews24.com, Anti-government protesters attack AL office in Raiganj, kill 6 amid unrest, 5 August 2024, url
- 1877
UN OHCHR, Human Rights Violations and Abuses Related to the Protests of July and August 2024 in Bangladesh, 12 February 2025, url, para. 212
- 1878
Prothom Alo, Protestors' huge gathering at Shahbagh, more processions joining, 4 August 2024, url; Dhaka Tribune, Ambulance in BSMMU vandalized, torched as clashes break out in Shahbagh, 4 August 2024, url
- 1879
Dhaka Tribune, Ambulance in BSMMU vandalized, torched as clash break out in Shahbagh, 4 August 2024, url
- 1880
UN OHCHR, Human Rights Violations and Abuses Related to the Protests of July and August 2024 in Bangladesh, 12 February 2025, url, para. 195
- 1881
Prothom Alo, Curfew for indefinite period from 6pm today, 4 August 2024, url
- 1882
Prothom Alo, At least 97 die across country on a day of carnage, 4 August 2042, url
- 1883
Prothom Alo, Students Against Discrimination’s ‘March to Dhaka’ on Monday, 4 August 2024, url
- 1884
Al Jazeera, Bangladesh’s Sheikh Hasina forced to resign: What happened and what’s next?, 5 August 2024, url
- 1885
Daily Star (The), A chronicle of the July Uprising, n.d., url
- 1886
UN OHCHR, Human Rights Violations and Abuses Related to the Protests of July and August 2024 in Bangladesh, 12 February 2025, url, p. ii, para. 52, 198
- 1887
CIR, Investigating police violence in the deadly Bangladesh quota protests, 5 November 2024, url; Prothom Alo, 326 killed in 4-6 August, 12 August 2024, url; UN OHCHR, Human Rights Violations and Abuses Related to the Protests of July and August 2024 in Bangladesh, 12 February 2025, url, p. 37, para. 123
- 1888
UN OHCHR, Human Rights Violations and Abuses Related to the Protests of July and August 2024 in Bangladesh, 12 February 2025, url, p. 33
- 1889
UN OHCHR, Human Rights Violations and Abuses Related to the Protests of July and August 2024 in Bangladesh, 12 February 2025, url, p. 33
- 1890
Business Standard (The), APBn member arrested for shooting at people during 5 August long march programme, 13 September 2024, url
- 1891
Somoy TV, Massacre in Ashulia: Chilling eyewitness accounts surface, 2 September 2024, url; Daily Star (The), August 5 violence: Death toll in Savar rises to 36, 8 August 2024, url
- 1892
UN OHCHR, Human Rights Violations and Abuses Related to the Protests of July and August 2024 in Bangladesh, 12 February 2025, url, p. 34
- 1893
Prothom Alo, 109 killed in clashes in a single day, 12 August 2024, url
- 1894
UN OHCHR, Human Rights Violations and Abuses Related to the Protests of July and August 2024 in Bangladesh, 12 February 2025, url, p. 34
- 1895
Prothom Alo, 109 killed in clashes in a single day, 12 August 2024, url; Daily Star (The), At least 10 killed, over 100 hurt in Uttara East Police Station mayhem, 5 August 2024, url
- 1896
Prothom Alo, 109 killed in clashes in a single day, 12 August 2024, url; Daily Sun, At least 8 dead, hundreds injured in clash with police in Kushtia, 6 August 2024, url
- 1897
Prothom Alo, 109 killed in clashes in a single day, 12 August 2024, url; Daily Star (The), 3 killed in Habiganj clash this morning, 5 August 2024, url
- 1898
Prothom Alo, 109 killed in clashes in a single day, 12 August 2024, url
- 1899
UN OHCHR, Human Rights Violations and Abuses Related to the Protests of July and August 2024 in Bangladesh, 12 February 2025, url, p. 35; Dhaka Tribune, Disturbing August 5 footage reveals police piling bodies onto van in Savar, 31 August 2024, url; Business Standard (The), Deadly 5 Aug: Unveiling the shocking truth behind the Ashulia carnage, 3 September 2024, url
- 1900
UN OHCHR, Human Rights Violations and Abuses Related to the Protests of July and August 2024 in Bangladesh, 12 February 2025, url, p. 35
- 1901
Dhaka Tribune, Disturbing August 5 footage reveals police piling bodies onto van in Savar, 31 August 2024, url
- 1902
UN OHCHR, Human Rights Violations and Abuses Related to the Protests of July and August 2024 in Bangladesh, 12 February 2025, url, p. 35
- 1903
HRW, After the Monsoon Revolution, 27 January 2025, url
- 1904
Reuters, Exclusive: Bangladesh army refused to suppress protest, sealing Hasina's fate, 7 August 2024, url
- 1905
UN OHCHR, Human Rights Violations and Abuses Related to the Protests of July and August 2024 in Bangladesh, 12 February 2025, url, para. 53
- 1906
UN OHCHR, Human Rights Violations and Abuses Related to the Protests of July and August 2024 in Bangladesh, 12 February 2025, url, para. 214; Macdonald, G., Bangladesh’s Accidental Revolutionaries Topple Sheikh Hasina – What’s Next?, USIP, 6 August 2024, url
- 1907
Prothom Alo, 326 killed in 4-6 August, 12 August 2024, url
- 1908
UN OHCHR, Human Rights Violations and Abuses Related to the Protests of July and August 2024 in Bangladesh, 12 February 2025, url, para. 54
- 1909
Prothom Alo, 326 killed in 4-6 August, 12 August 2024, url
- 1910
Prothom Alo, Houses of ministers, MPs attacked, torched, 5 August 2024, url
- 1911
Le Monde, Military in control of Bangladesh after prime minister ousted, 6 August 2024, url
- 1912
Al Jazeera, Bangladeshis dream of a better future after Hasina ousted, 6 August 2024, url
- 1913
Al Jazeera, Photos: Celebrations after PM Sheikh Hasina resigns, flees Bangladesh, 5 August 2024, url
- 1914
Business Standard (The), 18 killed after hotel owned by AL leader set on fire in Jashore, 5 August 2024, url
- 1915
Daily Star (The), 76 killed in attacks, clashes outside capital, 6 August 2024, url
- 1916
UN OHCHR, Human Rights Violations and Abuses Related to the Protests of July and August 2024 in Bangladesh, 12 February 2025, url, para. 219
- 1917
UN OHCHR, Human Rights Violations and Abuses Related to the Protests of July and August 2024 in Bangladesh, 12 February 2025, url, para. 216; Bdnews24.com, Four policemen among 7 killed in attack on police station in Noakhali, 6 August 2024, url
- 1918
UN OHCHR, Human Rights Violations and Abuses Related to the Protests of July and August 2024 in Bangladesh, 12 February 2025, url, para. 216; Bdnews24.com, Four policemen among 7 killed in attack on police station in Noakhali, 6 August 2024, url
- 1919
UN OHCHR, Human Rights Violations and Abuses Related to the Protests of July and August 2024 in Bangladesh, 12 February 2025, url, para. 214
- 1920
Netra News, An eye-witness account from inside Jatrabari Police Station of the last bloodbath, 15 January 2025, url
- 1921
UN OHCHR, Human Rights Violations and Abuses Related to the Protests of July and August 2024 in Bangladesh, 12 February 2025, url, para. 216
- 1922
Prothom Alo, 326 killed in 4-6 August, 12 August 2024, url
- 1923
UN OHCHR, Human Rights Violations and Abuses Related to the Protests of July and August 2024 in Bangladesh, 12 February 2025, url, pp. 34–35, para. 125; Daily Star (The), Shot during protest: Many barely hanging on to life, 5 September 2024, url
- 1924
UN OHCHR, Human Rights Violations and Abuses Related to the Protests of July and August 2024 in Bangladesh, 12 February 2025, url, para. 225; Daily Star (The), 66 dead as city convulsed with violence, 6 August 2024, url
- 1925
Daily Star (The), 66 dead as city convulsed with violence, 6 August 2024, url
- 1926
UN OHCHR, Human Rights Violations and Abuses Related to the Protests of July and August 2024 in Bangladesh, 12 February 2025, url, para. 225; Daily Observer, Somoy-Ekattor among 5 television channel offices attacked, 5 August 2024, url
- 1927
UN OHCHR, Human Rights Violations and Abuses Related to the Protests of July and August 2024 in Bangladesh, 12 February 2025, url, para. 225
- 1928
Financial Express (The), Consolidation of cultural mooring is sorely missed, 10 August 2024, url