Bangladesh is witnessing the deadliest crackdown against protesters in the country’s post-independence history. The heavy-handed response from the authorities has resulted in the deaths of more than 200 students, journalists and bystanders, and injured thousands since 15 July 2024 as the crackdown escalated.
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Since 1 July 2024, university students have launched protests to demand reforms in the existing quota system which reserves 30 per cent of government jobs for descendants of independence war veterans. They claim it unjustly favours supporters of the ruling party.
The protests were met with a severe crackdown from the authorities and the ensued violence has resulted in the deaths of more than 200 people, with 75 deaths reported in one day, thousands more people injured and an estimated 11,000 believed to have been arrested. Among those who were arrested was 18-year-old Rony Sheikh who was arrested while preparing for his exams. Rony has been listed in a group complaint and charged with unlawful assembly, assault with intent to kill and causing bodily harm.
Families of the the detained students claim that neither they nor their lawyers have been given access to them, and they fear that they will be subjected to torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment in custody.
Amnesty International’s investigations show that security forces responded to the protests with unlawful, and sometimes lethal, force. The Bangladeshi authorities also failed to prevent attacks against protesters allegedly carried out by members of the Bangladesh Chatra League (BCL), a group affiliated with the ruling party. The authorities also put a “shoot on sight” curfew, nationwide internet blackout, shutting down the country from the rest of the world.
On Sunday, 4 August, in one of the worst days of violent clashes since the start of the protests early last month, reports stated that 99 people had been killed, as houses of public representatives, Awami League offices, religious places of minority Hindu community, and police stations were attacked in several districts.
The rights and safety of Bangladeshis are at serious risk and immediate action is needed to hold the authorities to account.
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