Dhaka, Jan 26 (V7N) — The government has issued the ‘July Uprising (Protection and Determination of Liability) Ordinance, 2026’ to provide legal protection to participants of the July 24 mass uprising and to withdraw cases filed against them, according to a report by Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS).

The gazette notification in this regard was published on Sunday (January 25) by the Legislative and Parliamentary Affairs Division of the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs.

Earlier, the draft of the ordinance was approved at a meeting of the Advisory Council held on January 15 under the chairmanship of Chief Advisor Professor Muhammad Yunus.

Under the ordinance, students and members of the public who took part in the July 24 mass uprising have been officially termed “mass uprising participants.”

The ordinance states that all civil and criminal cases filed against participants of the movement—aimed at overthrowing a fascist regime and establishing democracy, human rights, and the rule of law—shall be withdrawn. Subject to government certification, if any such case or legal proceeding is currently pending, the court concerned shall immediately withdraw the case upon application by the public prosecutor, and the accused shall be discharged or acquitted.

However, the ordinance also outlines provisions regarding allegations of murder committed against mass uprising participants during the July movement. In such cases, complaints may be submitted to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), which will take measures to investigate the allegations.

The ordinance specifies that if the victim of the alleged murder was serving in any institution or force, the commission will not be able to assign the investigation to any current or former officer of that institution or force. Additionally, if arrest or custodial detention is deemed necessary during the investigation, the investigating officer must obtain prior approval from the commission by citing reasonable grounds.

According to the ordinance, if the commission’s investigation finds evidence of criminal abuse of the chaotic situation surrounding the uprising, it shall submit a report to the court having jurisdiction. The court will then treat the report as equivalent to a police report and proceed accordingly.

Furthermore, if the investigation concludes that the alleged act was part of political resistance, the commission may direct the government to provide compensation to the affected family, if it considers such action necessary. In such cases, no further legal proceedings or cases may be initiated in any court concerning the act.

END/SMA/AJ