Bangladesh's Awami League has strongly condemned what it describes as the systematic killing of its Chhatra League and Jubo League leaders and activists, alleging that their bodies were dumped into the Turag River in Dhaka. The party's statement, issued on 29 June, comes amid a broader pattern of alleged violence against its members that it says has persisted since the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government's 18-month tenure and has continued under the current Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) administration.

Awami League's Allegations

In a statement shared on X, the Awami League drew a stark comparison, saying: 'You have witnessed how decomposed and partially decomposed bodies have been recovered one after another from the Turag River. The Turag has become a heartbreaking symbol of tragedy, resembling a new Karbala, a place of mass killing.'

The party alleged that victims were targeted solely on the basis of their political affiliation with its student and youth wings. It further claimed that more than 600 people were killed during the new government's first 100 days in office, and that murder, rape, theft, and attacks inside homes have become everyday occurrences — which it attributed to what it called poor governance and state-sponsored lawlessness.

Police Reject the Claims

Bangladesh police have categorically dismissed the social media claims as 'baseless'. Bangladeshi daily Prothom Alo quoted police authorities as saying: 'Efforts are being made to spread confusion among the public by disseminating baseless information on social media under the headline "Seven Awami League-Chhatra League leaders and activists' bodies are floating in the Turag River." In reality, no such incident has been reported.'

The police urged citizens not to be 'misled by such false propaganda', adding that the claims originated from Awami League supporters' social media pages following the party's 77th anniversary processions, during which several people were taken into custody at multiple locations including the capital.

International Human Rights Body Calls for Inquiry

Justice Makers Bangladesh in France (JMBF), an international human rights organisation, has called for an independent, impartial, and internationally compliant commission of inquiry into the alleged killings. The body recommended that such a commission be led by a judge of the High Court Division of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh, with oversight from international human rights experts.

Shahanur Islam, Founder President of JMBF, said the alleged torture, killing, and river disposal of bodies on the basis of political belief 'constitute an extremely grave violation of human rights' and bear 'disturbing similarities to the culture of mob violence and politically motivated killings that emerged during the previous interim administration.'

Islam added: 'Allegations suggest that the current BNP-led government is witnessing a new manifestation of that same pattern. If these allegations are substantiated through an independent investigation, all those responsible must be brought to justice.'

Background and Context

The latest flashpoint emerged as the Awami League and its affiliated Chhatra League attempted to hold processions across Bangladesh to mark the party's 77th founding anniversary. Reports indicate that law enforcement resisted these processions in several locations, leading to multiple arrests. It was in this charged atmosphere that social media posts — attributed to Awami League supporters — alleged that seven detained activists had been killed and their bodies thrown into the Turag River.

The disputed claims and the police's flat denial reflect the deepening political polarisation in Bangladesh, where the Awami League — which governed the country for over a decade — now finds itself in sharp opposition to the BNP-led establishment. As investigations remain pending and competing narratives harden, the fate of an independent inquiry will be closely watched by both domestic critics and international observers.