The chief prosecutor of the International Crimes Tribunal said today that they have started work to gather information on the number of dead during the recent student-led mass protests.

Chief Prosecutor Md Tajul Islam said they were sending letters to district commissioners, superintendents of police, civil surgeons, authorities of public and private hospitals, large graveyards and university vice-chancellors.

He said, "Through letters we are requesting hospital authorities to give information about how many people went to hospitals, took medication and how many died.

"We are also sending letters to the authorities of large graveyards. Letters were also sent to the vice-chancellors of universities to know what happened there," he added.

According to a health ministry report, at least 631 people lost their lives and over 19,200 were injured during the anti-discrimination students' movement from July 15 to August 5.

Security forces and AL activists opened fire on protesters during the movement that started out demanding reform to the quota system for government jobs and escalated into a mass uprising that toppled the Awami League government.