Bangladesh witnessed the deadliest crackdown on peaceful protests, as the immediate past government decided to use excessive force on the latter, between July 15 and August 5, 2024.
According to UN reports, at least 650 people were killed and thousands injured across the country during the crackdown.
However, the government's attempt to crush the movement led by the students failed and the regime led by Sheikh Hasina collapsed on August 5.
Throughout the violence-ridden movement, there were instances of serious violation of human rights, which, in some cases, were unprecedented in the history of the country.
Security forces used unlawful force against protesters, disregarding the right to life and freedom from torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. Human rights organisations have received reports of torture and other ill-treatment of protesters after they were detained.
An interim government led by Nobel laureate Dr Muhammad Yunus took over the responsibility to run the country after the fall of the Hasina regime, but incidents of grave human rights abuse, continued, as, in many places, police and the leaders of the former regime have been targeted.
Against this backdrop, human rights activists felt that the United Nations should take immediate steps to ensure an independent investigation and take steps to prevent further human rights violations in Bangladesh.
Some suggests establishing an independent mechanism with a comprehensive mandate to investigate, collect, store, and analyse evidence on excesses committed before and after the fall of Hasina government in cooperation with credible and independent national and international bodies.
Recently, international human rights bodies told the UNHRC that the material scope of an investigation should encompass acts by all relevant actors, including security force abuses and violence against peaceful protesters by ruling party supporters during protests between July 15 and August 5, 2024, as well as attacks on minorities and perceived Awami League supporters in the aftermath of Sheikh Hasina's resignation on August 5 and after.
Many are of the opinion that the UN should monitor whether the Bangladeshi authorities comply with the requirements under the international human rights law to impartially, independently, and effectively investigate any person reasonably suspected of criminal responsibility for crimes under international law and other serious human rights abuses, and to ensure that alleged perpetrators are brought to justice through fair trials without recourse to the death penalty.
It is also crucial to establish a national independent accountability mechanism, that operates in accordance with international standards, accounting for violations prior to July 2024, including but not limited to enforced disappearances,
Serious concerns are also expressed over the enforced disappearances as according to Bangladeshi human rights monitors, security forces carried out over 600 enforced disappearances since 2009, when Sheikh Hasina first took office. While some people were later released, produced in court, or said to have died during an armed exchange with security forces, nearly 100 people remain missing.
Independent monitoring of all detention sites and investigation of all allegations of torture and other ill treatment by law enforcement officials should continue.
After Sheikh Hasina resigned and fled the country, security forces have released some "disappeared" individuals who were held in unlawful detention for many years.
So, the authorities must secure and preserve evidence and to establish the responsibility of the law enforcers and civilian superiors for crimes committed by subordinate forces under their effective command, control, or authority.
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