Authorities used unlawful force against student protesters: Amnesty

Amnesty International has said the Bangladeshi authorities used unlawful force against student protesters and failed to ensure their protection during the ongoing ‘Bangla-Blockade’ quota-reform protest across the country. 

The observation was made in an article published in the Amnesty International website on Wednesday (17 July). 

The article states,"Witness testimonies, video and photographic evidence analysed and authenticated by Amnesty International and its Crisis Evidence Lab confirm the use of unlawful force by the police against student protesters. Further witness testimonies confirm the continuation of a multi-year pattern of violence against protesters, allegedly committed by members of the Bangladesh Chatra League (BCL), a group affiliated with the ruling party."

“Amnesty International strongly condemns the killing of student Abu Sayed and the attacks against quota reform protesters at Dhaka University and other campuses across the country,” said Taqbir Huda, Regional Researcher for South Asia at Amnesty International.

“Bangladeshi authorities must fully respect people’s right to freedom of peaceful assembly in line with its commitments under international law and its own Constitution and protect peaceful protesters from further harm,” he added.

According to media reports, at least six people have been killed and thousands injured in the last two days across Bangladesh, the article states.

The mass protests since 1 July 2024, are in response to the reinstatement of a 30 percent quota in government jobs for the children of freedom fighters, which the protesters feel favour supporters of the ruling party. This quota was cancelled by the government in response to massive student protests in 2018.

In 2023, Amnesty International verified evidence of excessive use of force against protesters by the police and ruling party supporters and urged the government to end this practice.

In 2021, Amnesty International called on the Bangladeshi authorities to conduct investigations into the failure to protect protesters from attacks instigated by ruling party activists.

In 2018, Amnesty documented the use of force by police and the violent actions of pro-government vigilantes against student protestors.