A U.N. report accuses former PM Sheikh Hasina of directing lethal force against protesters during a 2024 uprising, resulting in 1,400 deaths, including children. It details coordinated violence, torture, and gender-based assaults by law enforcement. The report calls for urgent reforms to prevent future rights violations under the new interim government led by Muhammad Yunus.
A United Nations report alleges that Bangladesh’s former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina directed law enforcers to use lethal force against anti-government protesters during a student-led uprising in July-August 2024. The U.N. Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) documented that around 1,400 people, including approximately 180 children, were killed amid government efforts to suppress protests. Their findings stemmed from over 230 interviews with various stakeholders, indicating that the violent response was a coordinated strategy to maintain power against widespread opposition.
U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk characterized the government’s brutal tactics as calculated and coordinated, stating, “There are reasonable grounds to believe hundreds of extrajudicial killings, extensive arbitrary arrests and detentions and torture were carried out with the knowledge, coordination and direction of the political leadership and senior security officials.”
The report highlights that following orders from the home affairs minister for the use of lethal force, Hasina allegedly instructed security forces to kill protesters. She was warned about excessive force days later. It also indicates that injured protesters were often denied medical treatment, relying instead on fellow demonstrators and local citizens for aid.
Children were particularly victimized during the violence, with reports of indiscriminate shootings resulting in fatalities among minors, as well as detentions and torture in custody. For instance, one 17-year-old was shot during protests, while others faced physical abuse while being interrogated for confessions.
Women experienced targeted violence as well, facing gender-based assaults and intimidation during the protests. The report documented incidences including threats of sexual violence against female protesters and a lack of accountability for such acts due to insufficient legal protections against violence and harassment.
The U.N. report calls for significant reforms to Bangladesh’s law enforcement, suggesting the establishment of an independent commission overseeing police activities and the disbandment of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), known for its history of extrajudicial actions. The new interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus expressed commitment to human rights and intended to prosecute those involved in violence, highlighting the need for comprehensive reforms in state institutions despite potential challenges ahead.
As the political landscape shifts in Bangladesh, concerns remain regarding the continuity of problematic practices within law enforcement, as many officials from the previous regime are still in place, which could hinder true accountability and reform moving forward.
In summary, the U.N. report condemns the actions of the former Bangladeshi government under Sheikh Hasina for its violent suppression of protests, highlighting ordered lethal force, excessive use of violence against civilians including children and women, and failures to provide medical assistance to the injured. The report calls for urgent reforms in law enforcement agencies to prevent future human rights violations, while the interim government commits to upholding and protecting citizens’ rights amidst ongoing challenges.
Original Source: www.benarnews.org
