Hasina govt used lethal force during 2024 protests: UN
Staff Reporter :
The ousted Hasina government began deploying militarized forces well before the July-August 2024 protests turned violent, according to a fact-finding report by the UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR) on human rights violations in Bangladesh.
The report reveals that, “Well before the protests gained momentum and the related unrest turned violent, the government had mobilised heavily armed paramilitary forces, including RAB, BGB, and Ansar/VDP Battalions, seemingly with the intent of militarizing its response and escalating the use of lethal force.”
The OHCHR’s findings suggest that the serious human rights violations committed by security forces and armed Awami League supporters between July 15 and August 5 were part of a deliberate strategy by the government to retain power, relying on unlawful measures to suppress dissent.
The report, titled “Human Rights Violations and Abuses Related to the Protests of July and August 2024 in Bangladesh,” was released on February 12. It also highlights how the government and Awami League leadership believed that opposition forces had “infiltrated” the protests, viewing them as a significant threat to their rule. This prompted the authorities to adopt increasingly repressive measures.
The report notes that in the lead-up to her controversial remarks on the “razakars,” Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina signaled her intent to take a hard-line stance, including using the DGFI military intelligence agency to engage with student demonstrators.
The report further details how senior government officials and Awami League leaders worked to delegitimize and intimidate student protesters, paving the way for violence.
From mid-July onward, the government and Awami League expanded their use of armed forces, escalating the violence and resulting in widespread human rights violations.
According to the OHCHR, the initial crackdown involved violent assaults by Chhatra League activists on students who were peacefully demonstrating on university campuses. These attacks were incited and coordinated by senior Awami League leaders and government ministers.
The report also describes how inflammatory language used by Hasina led to further violence. Chhatra League President publicly vowed to prevent “razakars” from taking to the streets and issued orders to confront student protesters.
Senior government figures, including Obaidul Quader, the Awami League’s second-highest-ranking official, reinforced these calls for violence, labeling protesters as traitors and “razakars,” thus stripping them of their right to protest.
Armed Awami League supporters continued to launch attacks on demonstrators, often in coordination with state security forces, and in some cases, parliament members and government officials led these assaults.
The report notes that police and RAB forces responded with excessive force, using military rifles and shotguns loaded with lethal ammunition against protesters who were blocking roads but did not pose an immediate threat.
The report also observed that the aggressive actions led some protesters to resort to unlawful violence, targeting government buildings, transport infrastructure, and law enforcement. In response, the government used firearms in an indiscriminate and disproportionate manner.
The OHCHR’s findings highlight the extent of human rights violations carried out in the wake of the protests and underscore the repressive measures used by the government to maintain control.