Caught on camera: Forensic film pieces together the final fate of Mohammad Riddoy

Mohammad Riddoy, a 20-year-old student who became an auto rickshaw driver to fund his education, has not returned home since 5 August of last year. But thanks to a film piecing together the events of that day, we now know his fate.

A film made by three international organisations reveals how Riddoy was summarily executed on 5 August 2024 outside Shareef General Hospital in Gazipur by the police. 

The film starts with protests outside the Konabari police station in Gazipur, which then erupts into cheers at 3:25 pm when news spreads that Sheikh Hasina has fled the country. The protesters overturn a police vehicle and set it on fire. Riot police emerge from the station and start firing at protestors who flee or take cover.

Twenty minutes later, the police capture Riddoy. A group of armed police officers, some in helmets, beat up Riddoy. While one officer comes in to stop the beating, another takes position behind him and shoots him in the back at point-blank range. The police then walk away, but there are disturbing signs of movement that suggest Riddoy was still alive at this point.

Thirty seconds later, the police return and are filmed retrieving Riddoy's body, dragging him past the nearby hospital and in the direction of the Konabari police station, leaving a trail of blood on the ground. 

Riddoy has never been seen since; his family has pleaded for the return of his body, but the police have denied all knowledge of its whereabouts.

"Why did they hide the dead body," asked Riddoy's brother-in-law, Ibrahim, "Why did they conceal it? I want justice." 

As a result, Mohammad Riddoy's name is still not on the official list of martyrs. "I want him to be recognised as a martyr. We are a very poor family and I hope the government will take care of my parents," said Riddoy's sister, Jasmine Akhter.

The film comes at a time when the call for authorities to secure and analyse all the original video evidence of the shootings during the July uprising is growing louder. This sort of evidence is key to ensuring justice for July martyrs like Mohammad Riddoy.

Three international organisations, namely Outsider Movie Company, Tech Global Institute and International Truth and Justice Project have come together to release two films documenting the August 5th killings in Jatrabari and Gazipur after months of meticulous forensic investigation.

The other 15-minute film, also released on YouTube at the same time, aims to reconstruct the events that transpired outside the Jatrabari police station on 5 August 2024, between 1:56 pm and 3:30 pm. 

The video recordings begin by showing police officers in full riot gear exiting Jatrabari police station and firing at protesters, both indiscriminately and also in a targeted manner. The army then arrives at the scene, and the police return to the station.

Unlike the police, the military peacefully holds back the crowd, pointing their weapons downwards, while the protesters cooperate with the soldiers. The situation seems to be under control with the military appearing to provide a line of protection around the entrance of the Jatrabari police station.

Then suddenly, from inside the police compound, a police officer throws a delayed-action stun grenade over the heads of the soldiers at the entrance, who scatter. One officer then commands the armed riot police to advance; they swiftly emerge and begin firing at the protesters, who are armed only with sticks and are either hiding or attempting to flee. 

The police breakout appears to be unnecessary and unprovoked and has directly resulted in the ensuing brutal and indiscriminate killing of protesters.

The videos show numerous police officers wearing full protective face helmets firing indiscriminately at protesters with what appear to be 12-gauge pump-action shotguns. The weapons lack any rear attachments that would allow them to fire accurately while resting on their shoulders. The shots appear to be random. 

The video then shifts to footage of police brutally beating injured individuals on the ground and firing at protesters from close proximity as they attempt to flee. At no time does any policeman assist the injured. 

It is worth noting there were a number of military personnel present in the area, but they also appear to have been unable or unwilling to intervene and stop the massacre.

The Outsider Movie Company, an award-winning production company in the UK specialising in human rights documentaries, produced the films. Their work on the conflict in Sri Lanka was similarly based largely on mobile phone footage and was groundbreaking in conveying an untold story of mass atrocities. They were aided by The International Truth and Justice Project and Tech Global Institute.

The International Truth and Justice Project focuses on accountability for human rights violations in Sri Lanka, particularly the 2008-09 civil war. They collect evidence, including on torture and sexual violence, and pursue legal action.

Tech Global Institute is an independent technology non-profit that uses digital information and open-source investigations to promote accountability and safeguard the rights of Global South communities. They specialize in data-driven advocacy to strengthen human rights accountability for underserved groups worldwide.

A team of Bangladeshi and international journalists conducted the research for the films, sourcing the original videos taken by eyewitnesses and conducting interviews with them and the families of those killed. 

These videos, along with other videos posted on social media, were analysed by TGI as well as by a weapons expert.

These three groups have also released a written report entitled 'Bloodshed in Bangladesh' that focuses in depth on just one day of the anti-government protests, 19 July 2024. The report, which is the most detailed yet on the protests, reveals that the death toll on that day was three times higher than previously documented.