Government approves ordinance granting indemnity for July warriors

The government has approved the July Mass Uprising Protection and Liability Determination Ordinance 2026, Law Adviser Dr. Asif Nazrul announced on Thursday (January 15).

He made the announcement while briefing reporters at a session held at the Foreign Service Academy auditorium in Dhaka.

Dr. Nazrul said the act fulfills the government’s earlier commitment to participants of the July uprising. “The Cabinet has approved the July Uprising Protection and Immunity Ordinance today. We expect it to be enacted into law within five to seven days through gazette notification,” he added.

Under the new law, participants in political resistance activities during the July uprising will be granted immunity from any criminal liability. The term “political resistance” refers to actions aimed at toppling a fascist government to restore democratic governance.

The adviser clarified that the law covers existing cases arising from such activities, which the government will take steps to withdraw. Moreover, no new cases can be filed for actions conducted in July–August for the purpose of political resistance, and ongoing cases will also be annulled.

However, Dr. Nazrul stressed that the law does not provide immunity for crimes committed for personal gain, revenge, or narrow interests, including murders or other criminal acts not connected to the political uprising.

The National Human Rights Commission has been tasked with determining whether an act was part of political resistance or a personal crime. Families of victims who believe their relatives were targeted for personal reasons can appeal to the commission. If the commission initially finds a case was personal, it will conduct an investigation and submit a report, which will carry the same weight as a police investigation in court proceedings.