Global human rights watchdogs have slammed a string of attacks on quota reformists by law enforcement and pro-ruling party workers in Bangladesh.
Amnesty International has strongly condemned the attacks against anti-quota activists at Dhaka University and elsewhere, urging the government to ensure the immediate safety of the protesters.
In a statement posted on Amnesty International South Asia's Facebook page on Tuesday, the rights body expressed its grave concern over the use of violence that has reportedly injured hundreds of students.
"We urgently call on the government of Bangladesh to immediately guarantee the safety of all peaceful protesters and proper treatment of all those injured," reads the statement.
The organisation detailed the nature of the violence, describing it as consistent with past incidents it documented, where individuals in civilian clothing, armed with weapons like hammers, sticks and clubs, disrupted protests and assaulted demonstrators.
Amnesty reminded the authorities of their obligations under international law and their own constitution to respect the people's right to freedom of expression.
"Bangladesh must uphold its obligations under international law and its own constitution to fully respect the people's rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly and protect peaceful protesters from further harm."
TIB CONDEMNS USE OF FORCE
The Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) has strongly condemned attacks on students protesting for quota reform in government jobs, which were carried out by members of the ruling party's student wing and external attackers.
In a press statement issued on Tuesday, the TIB demanded that the attackers be identified and held accountable.
TIB executive director Dr Iftekharuzzaman expressed outrage over the use of violence against student protesters.
For the last couple of weeks, he said, a significant portion of students from different educational institutions were peacefully carrying out movements for quota reform in government jobs.
"We were initially hopeful upon seeing tolerance from the government and its supported student organisations towards the movement based on the constitutional rights of students for freedom of expression and assembly."
"However, disgusting and barbarous attacks took place on students from Dhaka University and other educational institutions across the country on Monday," he said.
Dr Zaman said the government should not ignore the students' logical demands and should take steps for a peaceful and constitutional solution.
Armed attacks on the agitators, which continued until midnight at various universities, were cowardly acts reminiscent of the Pakistani occupation forces and represented an institutional failure of those institutions as they failed to resist the violence.
"The government and law-enforcement agencies cannot evade responsibility for failing to prevent the attacks on universities in Dhaka, Chattogram, Jahangirnagar, Rajshahi, Khulna and Cumilla by government-backed student organisations and external attackers."
The TIB suggested that the government and law-enforcers find a reasonable, peaceful and constitutional resolution to the quota-reform movement.
It also called for proper treatment of the injured, ensuring the safety of students and maintaining an environment for peaceful protests.
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