The Bangladeshi government, with the assistance of the United Nations, has initiated the process of excavating a large number of graves, starting from the Rayer Bazar graveyard in Dhaka. According to foreign media, local administration officials stated that after the excavation of the graves, a forensic report will be prepared based on the remains found inside. Reports suggest that this report will later be submitted to the government, and if the purpose for which the graves are being excavated is achieved, Sheikh Hasina may face significant difficulties in the coming days.
According to AFP, the Bangladeshi government is seeking the advice of Argentine forensic expert Luis Fondebrider to prepare the forensic report. Fondebrider has previously conducted similar work in several countries. Local media reports that forensic experts from four medical colleges have been assigned to monitor the excavation of graves in Dhaka. Fondebrider is overseeing all four teams.
Fondebrider was brought in under an agreement with the UN human rights body, OHCHR, to provide assistance. Speaking to journalists, Fondebrider stated that the process is complex and unique, and it will not be easy to identify the remains, as the bones will have decayed completely. However, he expressed his determination to make an effort to identify the individuals, which may take time.
The government has stated that the exhumed bodies will be reburied according to religious rituals and the wishes of their families, and that international standards will be followed during the excavation process. The interim government of Bangladesh claims that during Sheikh Hasina's rule, hundreds of people were quietly killed and buried in mass graves. According to the Bangladeshi government, the police and military killed 1,400 people during Hasina's tenure. Sheikh Hasina, who served as Prime Minister of Bangladesh from 2008 to 2024, is also facing trial for the murder cases.
