Dhaka, Bangladesh — Seventy-five prominent citizens of Bangladesh have called for an independent investigation under the supervision of the United Nations into the recent violent crackdown on student protests demanding quota reform. The citizens, including human rights activists, lawyers, economists, and academics, have urged the UN to take necessary actions to ensure a transparent and impartial inquiry into the killings, injuries, and torture of peaceful protestors.
Recent events have escalated concerns about the government’s response to peaceful protests:
1. July 20, 2024: Police reportedly used live ammunition against unarmed students at Dhaka University, resulting in at least 5 deaths and over 100 injuries [1].
2. July 22, 2024: Journalists from independent media outlets were attacked while covering protests in Chittagong, with at least 3 hospitalized [2].
3. July 25, 2024: Reports emerged of mass arrests, with over 1,000 students detained without charge in a 48-hour period [3].
These incidents have drawn international condemnation, with Amnesty International calling the government’s actions “a shameful attack on peaceful dissent” [4].
The situation in Bangladesh reflects a broader trend of government crackdowns on peaceful protests worldwide. Similar patterns have been observed in:
– Hong Kong: The implementation of the National Security Law in 2020 led to widespread arrests and suppression of pro-democracy activists [5].
– Myanmar: Following the 2021 military coup, the UN has reported systematic violence against peaceful protestors [6].
– Belarus: The 2020 presidential election sparked mass protests, met with violent government repression [7].
In light of these events, the prominent citizens are demanding:
1. Immediate resignation of the current Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina
2. Immediate cessation of violence against protestors
3. Release of all detained students and activists
4. A UN-supervised investigation into human rights violations
5. Accountability for those responsible for excessive use of force
6. Protection of freedom of speech and assembly
Dr. Sultana Kamal, a leading human rights activist and signatory of the statement, emphasized, “The world must not turn a blind eye to the systematic suppression of democratic voices in Bangladesh. We need international intervention to prevent further bloodshed and protect the rights of our citizens” [8].
As the global community watches, the demand for justice and accountability grows louder. The future of Bangladesh’s democratic values and human rights hangs in the balance, requiring urgent international attention and action.
Sources:
[1] Human Rights Watch. “Bangladesh: Deadly Force Used Against Student Protesters.” July 22, 2024.
[2] Reporters Without Borders. “Bangladesh Press Freedom Alert.” July 23, 2024.
[3] Amnesty International. “Bangladesh: Mass Arrests Signal Intensifying Crackdown.” July 26, 2024.
[4] Amnesty International. “Bangladesh: Government Must End Violent Repression.” July 27, 2024.
[5] BBC News. “Hong Kong Security Law: What is it and is it worrying?” July 1, 2020.
[6] United Nations. “Myanmar: UN report details devastating impact of military coup.” September 15, 2022.
[7] Human Rights Watch. “Belarus: Systematic Beatings, Torture of Protesters.” September 15, 2020.
[8] Interview with Dr. Sultana Kamal. The Daily Star. July 28, 2024.
Prominent citizens who signed the statement are:
1. Sultana Kamal, human rights activist
2. Hamida Hossain, human rights activist
3. Khushi Kabir, human rights activist
4. Shahdin Malik, jurist and constitutional expert
5. Rasheda K Chowdhury, human rights activist
6. Wahiduddin Mahmud, Economist
7. Hossain Zillur Rahman, Economist
8. Anu Muhammad, Professor and Economist
9. Devapriya Bhattacharya, Economist
10. Meghna Guthakurta, human rights activist and researcher
11. ZI Khan Panna, Senior Advocate
12. Iftekharuzzaman, human rights activist
13. Asif Nazrul, Professor
14. Shireen Haque, women’s rights activist
15. Syeda Rizwana Hasan, Advocate
16. Shamsul Huda, human rights and land rights activist
17. Badiul Alam Majumder, researcher and observer
18. Sara Hossain, lawyer
19. Parveen Hasan, Professor
20. Geeti Ara Nasreen, Professor
21. Md. Tanjimuddin Khan, Professor
22. Sumaiya Khair, Professor
23. Mushtaq H Khan, Professor
24. Mirza Taslima Sultana, Professor
25. Firdous Azim, Professor
26. Bina D’Costa, Professor
27. Shahnaz Huda, Professor
28. Saeed Ferdous, Professor
29. Robayet Ferdous, Professor
30. Nova Ahmed, Professor
31. Naveeda Khan, Professor
32. Swapan Adnan, Educator
33. Dina Siddiqui, Educator
34. Nasreen Khandaker, Post Doctoral Researcher
35. Samina Lutfa, Associate Professor
36. Farha Tanzin Titil, Associate Professor
37. Maidul Islam, Associate Professor
38. Rizwana Karim Snigdha, Associate Professor
39. Md. Saimum Reza Talukder, Senior Lecturer
40. Subrata Chowdhury, Senior Advocate
41. Tabarak Hossain, Senior Advocate
42. Shuvra Chakraborty, human rights activist
43. Sharif Bhuiyan, Advocate
44. Saidur Rahman, lawyer
45. Priya Hasan Chowdhury, Lawyer
46. Sharmin Khan, Lawyer
47. Nasser Bakhtiar, former banker
48. Abu Saeed Khan, journalist
49. Sayeda Gulrukh, Journalist
50. Salim Samad, journalist and media rights activist
51. Sharmin Murshid, human rights activist and observer
52. Faustina Pereira, human rights activist
53. Rushad Faridi, human rights activist
54. Rezaul Karim Leylin, researcher and rights activist
55. Noor Khan, human rights activist
56. Rezaul Karim Chowdhury, human rights activist
57. Sadaf Noor, researcher and human rights activist
58. Tasneem Siraj Mahabub, human rights activist
59. Shahidul Alam, photographer and social activist
60. Rehenuma Ahmed, writer and researcher
61. Altaf Parvez, writer and researcher
62. Ahmed Swapan Mahmud, poet and writer
63. Zakir Hossain, human rights activist
64. Mahin Sultana, human rights activist
65. Rozina Begum, researcher and rights activist
66. Barish Hasan Chowdhury, researcher
67. Rezwan Islam, researcher and rights activist
68. Jahanara Khatun, human rights activist
69. Fazila Banu Lili, rights activist
70. Arifa Hafeez, human rights activist
71. Ishrat Jahan Prachi, rights activist
72. Dipayan Khisa, human rights activist
73. Hana Shams Ahmed, Indigenous rights activist
74. Muktashree Chakma, women’s rights activist and
75. Arup Rahi, cultural activist
