The Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) has strongly condemned the illegal detention of student coordinators who have been forced to announce the withdrawal of their programme through video messages.
It termed the forced video announcement of the withdrawal of the ongoing programme by the detained coordinators at the DB office in Dhaka on Sunday night unethical and heinous.
Terming such acts unconstitutional, the TIB says DB's falsehood, amidst the government's, ruling party's and state agencies' persistent false narratives to legitimise gross rights violations, deaths, arbitrary cases and arrests to suppress the movement, are suicidal, anti-people and cruelly dramatic.
Referring to media sources, it says over 213,000 individuals have been charged in 200 cases filed with different police stations in Dhaka regarding the recent violence over the movement.
A mass arrest campaign by law enforcement is ongoing.
TIB executive director Dr Iftekharuzzaman said arbitrary arrests and the filing of cases against innocent people, including harassment of those unconnected to the violence, were unconstitutional.
"Although the arrest spree was supposed to ensure accountability for those involved in the violence, media reports indicate that students, professionals, and ordinary people are being arrested indiscriminately."
"Even minors aged between 13 and 17 have been handcuffed and presented in courts, which is a clear violation of citizens' rights granted by the constitution," added Dr Zaman.
Moreover, there are allegations of inhumane torture in remand, ignoring explicit directives from the High Court, which is a gross violation of human rights.
The TIB urges law-enforcers to remember their constitutional duties and professional oaths and stop harassing ordinary citizens and persecuting students if they have even the slightest respect for the law.
Dr Zaman said, "What is being reported in the media strongly suggests that the coordinators were essentially coerced. The DB is lying, trying to mislead the public and showing professional bankruptcy."
Additionally, 'protective custody' has no legal standing. Detaining students is a clear breach of article 33 of the Constitution, according to the TIB.
"Forcing coordinators to read withdrawal announcements violates article 35(4). It's not far-fetched to believe that this unconstitutional effort was taken to cover up the unprecedented use of force to suppress the movement."
Dr Zaman said the government, from the beginning, has tried to legitimise various unaccountable acts, including shutting down the internet, by creating false narratives to suppress the movement.
"The government has failed to understand a completely non-political and peaceful movement and has pushed it towards violence by using force, clearly showing the misuse of power by state agencies."
"Mass arrests, indiscriminate cases, block raids, harassment of ordinary citizens and falsehood must stop, trampling on citizens' constitutional rights."
talhabinhabib@yahoo.com