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Chief Prosecutor of the International Crimes Tribunal, Md. Aminul Islam, has announced that evidence has been found of a total of 58 deaths in Dhaka, Narayanganj, and Chattogram during the events surrounding the Hefazat-e-Islam rally at Shapla Chattar in 2013. He stated that the identities of all the deceased have already been confirmed.
In a statement issued on Tuesday (May 5), he informed that 32 people died in Dhaka, 20 in Narayanganj, 5 in Chattogram, and one in Cumilla during the incident. Clear evidence has been found in the investigation regarding these killings, and the identities of the victims have been confirmed.
It is noteworthy that Hefazat-e-Islam announced a ‘Dhaka Siege’ program on May 5, 2013, to protest against the alleged disrespect of the Holy Quran and Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and to press for their 13-point demands. On that day, clerics, madrasa students, and supporters from various parts of the country gathered in the capital and took position at Shapla Chattar in Motijheel after the program.
Throughout that day, tension prevailed in the area. Before evening, the bodies of two individuals were brought in front of the makeshift stage at the rally site. Later, the situation turned violent when joint forces launched an operation in the middle of the night. The rally dispersed amidst the firing of bullets, tear gas, and sound grenades. Various sources reported numerous casualties and injuries.
From the beginning, various figures regarding the number of fatalities in this incident came to light. On May 5, 2025, Hefazat-e-Islam published a preliminary list of 93 individuals from their side. They had stated that this number could increase after verification.
Earlier, on June 10, 2021, human rights organization Odhikar reported collecting the names of 61 individuals. In 2014, a book titled ‘Shahidnama’ presented information on 41 fatalities.