Practically 650 folks have been killed within the latest unrest in Bangladesh between July 16, 2024, and August 11, 2024, the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Workplace mentioned in a preliminary report, suggesting a radical, neutral and clear investigation into studies of extrajudicial killings, arbitrary arrests and detentions.
In keeping with the 10-page report titled “Preliminary Evaluation of Latest Protests and Unrest in Bangladesh,” practically 400 deaths have been reported between July 16 and August 4, whereas round 250 folks have been mentioned to have died following the brand new wave of protests between August 5 and 6, which led to the ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Publicly obtainable studies from the media and the protest motion itself claimed that between 16 July and 11 August, greater than 600 folks have been killed as a result of wave of violence that adopted the anti-discrimination pupil demonstrations.
The variety of reported murders in revenge assaults since then stays to be decided, based on the report launched on Friday (16 August 2024) in Geneva.
A number of deaths have been reported between August 7 and 11, together with those that died whereas receiving medical remedy for accidents sustained in the course of the violence, the UN Refugee Company (UNHCR) report urged.
“The lifeless embrace protesters, bystanders, journalists and a number of other members of the safety forces,” he mentioned, including that hundreds of protesters and bystanders have been injured and hospitals have been overwhelmed by the inflow of sufferers.
The report mentioned the reported dying toll was seemingly an underestimate as a result of knowledge assortment was hampered by motion restrictions as a consequence of curfews and web shutdowns.
The report additionally means that state authorities have prevented hospitals from offering particulars of the lifeless and injured. Scholar protests in Bangladesh in mid-June, sparked by the reinstatement of a quota system for allocating jobs in public companies, turned violent and there have been studies of great human rights violations by safety forces.
“There are sturdy indications, warranting additional impartial investigation, that the safety forces used pointless and disproportionate power of their response to the scenario,” the report mentioned.
“Different alleged violations, which additionally warrant thorough, neutral and clear investigations, embrace extrajudicial executions, arbitrary arrests and detentions, enforced disappearances, torture and ill-treatment, in addition to extreme restrictions on the train of freedoms of expression and peaceable meeting,” the report mentioned.
There have been additionally studies of looting, arson and assaults on members of spiritual minorities, in addition to reprisals and revenge killings by members of the previous ruling social gathering and the police following Ms Hasina’s resignation on 5 August, the report mentioned.
On Thursday (15 August 2024), mobs armed with bamboo sticks, iron rods and pipes reportedly attacked supporters of former prime minister’s Awami League Get together who had gathered to pay homage to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on his dying anniversary.
The UN report confused the significance of rapidly restoring regulation and order, in addition to the necessity to take efficient measures to forestall additional lack of life, violence and acts of retaliation.
“Regulation enforcement businesses should be given clear directions and coaching on using power, in accordance with worldwide human rights requirements. They have to defend at-risk populations from any acts of retaliatory or revenge violence, together with minority communities,” the report mentioned.
On Friday, UN Excessive Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk confused the necessity to maintain accountable all these liable for human rights violations and violence, together with in opposition to spiritual minorities, in Bangladesh, as his workplace launched the preliminary report.
Calling for a radical, neutral and clear investigation into all human rights violations, Mr Turk additionally mentioned the transition within the South Asian nation is a historic alternative to make sure governance is predicated on human rights, inclusion and the rule of regulation.
Turk’s feedback got here a day after it was introduced {that a} staff from his workplace will go to Bangladesh subsequent week to analyze the killings of protesters earlier than and after Hasina’s resignation as prime minister on August 5.
“The approaching transition presents a historic alternative to reform and revitalize the nation’s establishments, restore basic freedoms and civic house, and provides all Bangladeshis a task in shaping the longer term,” the Excessive Commissioner mentioned.
Bangladesh was plunged into chaos after Hasina fled to India on August 5. Earlier than that, anti-government protests had killed greater than 500 folks since mid-July.
Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus was sworn in on August 8 as a senior adviser to the interim authorities after being chosen by President Mohammed Shahabuddin following the dissolution of parliament, a choice prompted by a requirement from the Scholar Anti-Discrimination Motion.
The Bangladesh Hindu Grand Nationwide Alliance mentioned the minority group confronted assaults and threats in 278 localities throughout 48 districts for the reason that fall of the Sheikh Hasina-led authorities, calling it an “assault on the Hindu faith.”
A number of Hindu temples, houses and companies belonging to Bangladesh’s minority group have been destroyed this month amid the unrest.
“The Excessive Commissioner (Turkey) additionally welcomed the initiative of numerous pupil organizations, spiritual leaders and others who kind teams to guard minorities and non secular websites belonging to minority communities,” the assertion mentioned, acknowledging that the interim authorities has additionally strongly condemned these acts.
Mr. Turk welcomed the discharge of hundreds of long-term detainees and political prisoners, together with some victims of enforced disappearance, and known as for the discharge of all these arbitrarily detained.
The report particulars the scenario and presents particular suggestions to all political actors, the interim authorities and the worldwide group “to handle the present scenario within the nation, which has resulted from the demonstrations and occasions detailed within the report.” Nonetheless, complete authorized and institutional reforms can be wanted in the long run, it says.
The Excessive Commissioner additionally introduced {that a} staff will go to Dhaka subsequent week to discover areas the place the UN Human Rights Workplace can assist the transition.
