Killing fields: The places that witnessed a crimson tide

During the Khmer Rouge regime from 1975 to 1979, Cambodia witnessed a series of sites where mass killings and burials took place, now known as the "killing fields."

In a tragic parallel, we observed similar "killing fields" during the recent quota reform movement, which ultimately led to the downfall of Sheikh Hasina's 15-plus-year autocratic regime.

Over just three weeks, from 16 July to 5 August, law enforcement agencies and activists from the Awami League, Chhatra League and Jubo League were responsible for the deaths of at least 750 people.

We revisit some of these "killing fields," which will forever stand not only as a testament to the atrocities committed by the Hasina regime but also the sacrifices made by our bravehearts.

Uttara

Mahmudul Hasan, a 20-year-old who had just earned his diploma in electronics, was the oldest of three siblings.

On 18 July afternoon, Mahmud reassured his father over the phone that he would return to their hometown of Noakhali by bus once the situation, which had turned violent amid the quota reform movement, improved.

An officer of the Armed Police Battalion (APBn) points a rifle at protestors. The photo was taken on 5 August morning at Chankharpool in Dhaka. Photo: Rajib Dhar

Mahmud couldn't keep his promise.

That evening, as Mahmud was returning with three of his friends to their mess in Uttara's Rajlakshmi area, gunfire suddenly erupted.

They tried to flee the scene. But Mahmud was hit by a bullet in the head. His friends rushed him to a private hospital, but their efforts were in vain.

Earlier that day, 25-year-old Mir Mahfuzur Rahman Mugdho, an MBA student at Bangladesh University of Professionals, also joined the protest in Uttara's Azampur to support the students, believing in the justice of their cause.

As he was distributing water to protesters after law enforcement had fired tear gas to disperse the crowd, a bullet struck him in the forehead and exited through the right side of his head. He died on the spot.

In no way were Mahmud and Mugdho the only casualties in Uttara on the fateful day of 18 July.

In total, at least nine people lost their lives in Uttara that day during the prolonged clashes between quota protesters and police, marking it as one of the first major sites of violence in the protests.

Between 16 July and 3 August, at least 31 people, including police officers, were killed in Uttara.

Even after Hasina fled on 5 August, the situation in Uttara continued to be intense, with several more people losing their lives. The exact number of fatalities, however, remains unknown.

Jatrabari

In Jatrabari, Shonir Akhra and surrounding areas, protests in the early hours of 18 July saw participation not only from students but also from people of all backgrounds, including women.

Despite the police's efforts to disperse the crowd with tear gas and sound grenades, the protesters retaliated by throwing bricks.

Many believe that these areas are where protesters first showed the courage to confront law enforcement agencies directly. Consequently, these areas also saw the highest number of fatalities, with at least 86 people killed during the protests.

One of the victims was Mehedi Hasan, a staff reporter for Dhaka Times, who was covering the clashes in Jatrabari. He was shot in the head by a bullet.

Another notable incident in Jatrabari, captured in a viral Facebook video, showed a young man being shot multiple times at close range by a police officer. As a second young man tried to intervene and help, the police continued firing. This incident reportedly took place on 20 July.

The victim was later identified as Imam Hasan, a 19-year-old 12th-grade student at Narayanganj Government Adamjee Nagar MW College. Interestingly, his father, Moynal Hossain, was also a police officer.

Even on 5 August, the day Sheikh Hasina was ousted from power, at least 36 more people were killed in Jatrabari due to police firing.

The residents of this area were extremely angered by the police, who fired indiscriminately throughout the protests. In response, the general public sought revenge against police officers whenever possible.

As a result, seven policemen, one RAB member and one Ansar member were killed in Jatrabari. The area also witnessed an incident where a policeman was killed and subsequently hanged by an angry mob.

Savar

Rony Pramanik, a rickshaw puller from Savar on the outskirts of Dhaka, received a call from his mother on 20 July morning. She pleaded with him not to take his rickshaw out that day, fearing that law enforcers might shoot and kill him.

By the end of the same day, her worst fears came true. Rony was one of at least four people killed by law enforcers in Savar on 20 July.

The most tragic event in Savar occurred on 5 August. The situation escalated when word spread that former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had resigned and fled the country, prompting protesters to march towards the Ashulia police station.

In an attempt to control the advancing crowd, police announced their surrender using mosque loudspeakers and hand-held microphones.

Despite these announcements, the protesters continued to march forward, leading the police to open fire. This indiscriminate gunfire resulted in the deaths of at least 57 people on the spot.

A chilling video, which surfaced on social media, showed bodies being piled onto a van by individuals wearing police jackets, with several uniformed officers present at the scene. The video was filmed near Ashulia police station in Baipail, Savar, as confirmed by local shopkeepers and a TBS story published on 4 September.

The video also helped identify Inspector Arafat from the Dhaka North Detective Branch (DB) police as one of the officers at the scene.

Overall, at least 70 people have been reportedly killed in Savar during the protests.

Mirpur

18-year-old Sheikh Shahriar Bin Matin, who was appearing for HSC exams, was alongside his cousin and other protesters during a demonstration near the Mirpur-10 intersection on 18 July when police and Chhatra League activists opened fire at them.

Suddenly, a bullet pierced through Shahriar's right eye.

He was rushed to a nearby hospital and later referred to Dhaka Medical College Hospital, where he remained on life support until doctors declared him dead on 20 July.

On 19 July, Shafkat Samir, an 11-year-old boy and a fifth-grade student, was closing a window of his home to stay safe from the rampant firing of tear gas shells at Mirpur's Kafrul area in the afternoon.

A bullet pierced his head, entering through his eye and exiting through the back of his head. He died on the spot.

During the peak of the quota reform protests, Mirpur-10 became one of the hotspots in the capital. Hundreds of protesters gathered daily at the Mirpur-10 roundabout, initially to press for quota reforms and later to protest against the indiscriminate attacks and killings of fellow demonstrators.

Between 16 July and 3 August, a total of 29 people were killed in the area.

Rampura-Badda-Banasree

A video dated 19 July circulated on social media, showing a boy hanging from the cornice of an under-construction building. Two police officers arrived at the scene, and several rounds of gunshots were heard. The video depicted the police pointing their guns at the boy, who was desperately clinging to life.

It was later revealed that the footage was from a building near Meradia Bazar in Rampura. Contrary to the widespread belief that the boy was dead, 18-year-old Amir miraculously survived because the policemen had fired blank shots.

But not everyone was as fortunate in the Rampura-Badda-Banasree area, which even saw firing from helicopters. Things turned worse on 19 July in particular, when quota protesters clashed with police and BGB personnel from morning until dusk.

It was a Friday, and many teenagers joined the protesters early in the morning. However, the situation escalated dramatically after Jummah prayers when BGB forces opened fire on demonstrators marching towards the Rampura Bridge. In retaliation, the protesters hurled bricks at the police and BGB personnel.

By the end of the day, at least 13 people were killed and over 500 injured. Many of the victims sustained bullet and shotgun pellet wounds to the upper parts of their bodies.

Mohammadpur

After offering Jummah prayers on 19 July, 19-year-old university hopeful Mahmudur Rahman Soikot went to open his family's confectionery shop on Nurjahan Road in Mohammadpur. In his father's absence, he was responsible for running the shop.

Soon, Soikot returned home and informed his mother that he had closed the shop because a friend had been injured by a bullet. He immediately left the house to search for his injured friend.

A few hours later, Soikot's own lifeless body was found in the morgue of Suhrawardy Medical College and Hospital. He had been shot in the head when law enforcement opened fire to disperse the crowd.

Since 16 July, Mohammadpur has become one of the key battlefields in Dhaka, with students from the University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (ULAB) blocking off Beribadh Road.

From that day onward, protesters gradually took control of almost the entirety of the neighbourhood. The tension in the area persisted until 20 July, during which many protesters were killed in clashes with law enforcement.

Between 16 July and 3 August, as many as 21 people were killed in Mohammadpur.

Notably, during July and August, the Rayerbazar Graveyard, located within Mohammadpur Thana, saw the burial of 81 bodies by Anjuman Mufidul Islam, a charitable organisation. It is speculated that many of these bodies were casualties from the protests.

A wave of casualties 

During the quota reform movement, the wave of casualties was not confined to Dhaka alone, nor did it end immediately after the ousting of Sheikh Hasina on 5 August.

According to media reports, nearly 350 people were killed between 16 July and 3 August, and the killings related to the protests afterwards surpassed the 400 mark.

While around 250 people were killed within Dhaka between 16 July and 3 August, approximately 100 lives were lost outside the capital during the same period.

After 3 August, the number of casualties within Dhaka was around 130 but it rose to nearly 300 outside the city.

Overall, since 16 July, the deaths of at least 750 people in connection with the quota reform movement have been confirmed, though the actual figure may well exceed 1,000.

Recently, we visited several of the capital's "killing fields," including Jatrabari, Uttara, Mirpur and Mohammadpur. Amidst a bustling city's relentless rhythm, these places appeared normal and business-like on the surface. Yet, the memories of the July Revolution remain etched in people's minds.