Ordinance issued with provision of jail, fines for false claims on July Uprising benefits

The government has issued an ordinance with provisions for imprisonment and fines for anyone who takes benefits that are due to families of martyrs or those injured in the mass uprising in July and August by providing false information.

The ordinance issued on Tuesday night will hand down a maximum jail term of two years and a fine of Tk 200,000 or double the amount of the benefit or financial assistance taken if found guilty.

The ordinance also includes one-time and monthly financial aid payments to the injured and martyrs who helped topple the Awami League regime as well as prove for their rehabilitation.

In addition, the July Mass Uprising Directorate has been brought under the purview of the ordinance to ensure the welfare and rehabilitation of the injured and families of the martyrs.

The Anti-discrimination Student Movement that launched with demands to reform the quota system in government jobs turned into a movement to topple the government in late July last year. Eventually, former prime minister Sheikh Hasina stepped down and fled to India on Aug 5 in the face of the student-led mass movement.

After three days, the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus took charge on Aug 8. The interim government took the initiative to provide medical treatment to those injured in the movement and financial aid to the families of the victims.

The Ministry of Law, Judiciary and Parliamentary Affairs issued the ordinance titled "Welfare and Rehabilitation of the Injured and Families of the Martyrs in the July Mass Uprising Ordinance 2025."

On Dec 16, the government shared its goal to establish the July Mass Uprising Directorate through a statement issued by the Ministry of Liberation War Affairs. Then the directorate was established on Apr 12 under the ministry and a gazette was published.

Section 15 of the ordinance sats, “If any person, despite not being a family member of a martyr or any category of injured July warrior, intentionally or knowingly provides any false or distorted information, conceals information or submits misleading documents and claims or accepts any medical benefits or financial aid or rehabilitation benefits by claiming to be a family member of a martyr or injured July warrior, then they shall be deemed to have committed an offence. In this case, they shall be liable to a maximum imprisonment of two years and a fine of Tk 200,000 or a fine of double the amount of the benefit or financial assistance received.”

However, the offence under the ordinance will be non-cognizable and bailable, section 16 says.

Section 13 of the ordinance states, “Family members of martyrs and all categories of injured July warriors shall be entitled to a single-time and monthly financial aid at the prescribed rate. Also, their rehabilitation will be determined by similar rules.”

The ordinance calls for segregating the injured into three categories: very serious, serious, and injured.