Concerned over the current spate of political violence in Bangladesh, a UN human-rights body Friday called upon all parties to show restraint and bring an immediate end to their confrontational standoff.
"We are concerned about the potential for the violence, which has already led to deaths, injury and disruption, to spiral, as seen in the run-up to the 2014 elections," said a spokesperson for the office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in a statement from Geneva.
The OHCHR sees the deepening political violence as 'very disturbing', which it blamed as a result of the failure by the two major political parties to resolve their differences peacefully.
"We urge all political parties to show restraint and to bring an immediate end to the violence," said the UN body on human rights.
It also called on the authorities to ensure prompt, impartial and effective investigation into all killings committed - irrespective of whether they were committed by State or non-State actors.
"The government should also ensure that the arrest and detention of key opposition leaders by law-enforcement agencies is not arbitrary, and that all measures taken to restore law and order are conducted in line with the parameters set by international human rights law, including respect for the freedoms of peaceful assembly, movement and speech," said the statement.
The current spell of unrest began on January 5 when the opposition Bangladesh National Party (BNP) called on its supporters to launch a transport blockade to mark the anniversary of last year's elections, which were boycotted by the opposition, it mentioned.
Over a dozen people have reportedly been killed and hundreds injured in clashes between supporters of the two parties, as well as with security forces, and a number of key opposition leaders have also been arrested after the government imposed a ban on demonstrations and prevented the Chairperson and other senior members of the BNP from participating in the protest, it noted.
"Particularly disturbing is the rampant use of arson attacks on vehicles. A crowded public bus was set on fire Tuesday, burning to death four people, including one child," it said.
The statement further mentioned that, the same day, a senior BNP advisor was shot at and his car set on fire. On Thursday, another person was killed when a bus was reportedly set ablaze in Kaliakoir, about 50 kilometres north of Dhaka.
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UN agency seeks end to political confrontation
FE Report | Published: January 17, 2015 00:00:00 | Updated: November 30, 2026 06:01:00
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