Staff Reporter :
Amnesty International has voiced concerns over recent reports of injuries sustained by approximately 20 individuals, including students, during a police crackdown on protesters from Comilla University.
In a Facebook post on Thursday, Amnesty International South Asia emphasised the importance of respecting the right to protest, protecting peaceful demonstrators, and ceasing the use of unnecessary and excessive force.
The human rights organisation highlighted the critical role of peaceful assemblies in providing a platform for people to express their grievances publicly.
It underscored Bangladesh’s obligations under international law and its own constitution, which uphold the right to freedom of peaceful assembly.
The protests, part of the “Bangla Blockade” movement demanding reforms to the government job quota system, have reportedly led to clashes between police and demonstrators in various locations across the country.
Reports indicate that around 30 individuals were injured during police actions in Cumilla and Dhaka’s Agargaon.
Earlier in the day, police issued a warning, stating their intention to act within the bounds of the law in response to any actions causing public disturbance, referencing a court verdict related to the quota system.
Meanwhile, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal commented that students involved in the anti-quota movement were exceeding their limits.
He urged protesters to desist from further demonstrations and instead pursue legal avenues to address their concerns.