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 197 students, journalists and bystanders, and injured thousands since 15 July 2024 as the crackdown escalated.
Sign the petition now and demand that the government of Bangladesh urgently end this repression.
Since 1 July 2024, university level students have launched protests to demand reforms in the existing quota-system which reserves 30% of government jobs for descendants of independence war veterans claiming that 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 197 people, with 75 deaths reported in one day, thousands more people injured and more than 2500 believed to have been arrested.
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.
The rights and safety of Bangladeshis are at serious risk and immediate action is needed to hold the authorities to account.
Sign the petition now!