5 rights bodies slam attacks on quota protesters
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Amnesty International South Asia, in a statement posted on its verified Facebook page, called on the government to immediately guarantee the safety of all peaceful protesters and proper medical treatment of the injured.
“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 protestors from further harm.”
Transparency International Bangladesh, in its statement, expressed outrage over the attacks on the student protesters by the ruling party’s student wing and external attackers, urging that these attackers be identified and held accountable.
In the statement, TIB Executive Director Iftekharuzzaman termed the attacks on students “disgusting and barbaric”.
Reliable media sources have reported that even female students faced indiscriminate attacks and public harassment while a student in Rangpur has died during clashes, said the statement issued in the afternoon.
“We are appalled, outraged, and disappointed by the attacks. We demand the attackers be identified and brought to book, regardless of their political positions and identities.”
He added that the government should not ignore the logical demands of the students by passing the burden onto the courts. “Rather, it should take steps for a logical, modern, peaceful, and constitutional solution.”
The International Human Rights Commission’s Bangladesh chapter, Manobadhikar Sangskriti Foundation, and Shushashoner Jonno Nagorik have also expressed concerns over the attacks.
They urged that effective steps be taken to solve the crisis and said the human rights situation in the country will deteriorate to the extreme, creating obstacles for common people, if the crisis continues.
The statements said the attacks on protesting students, especially the females, are gross violations of the constitution and human rights, adding that the state failed in protecting the students.
114 CITIZENS CONDEMN
At least 114 eminent citizens in a statement yesterday strongly condemned the attacks on quota protesters over the last two days.
They demanded justice for the students and exemplary punishment to those responsible for the attacks.
The statement said, “We’ve observed with deep concern that yesterday [Monday] and today [yesterday], the quota reform activists and students of different universities were indiscriminately attacked. Media reports state that Chhatra League leaders and activists of different units attacked the protesting students with pistols, rods, sticks and sharp weapons.
“Even female students were not spared … We’re outraged and saddened by this barbaric attack. We strongly condemn the painful news of the deaths of at least four people in the attacks on the protesters.”
“Attacking the demonstrators, killing several and injuring hundreds of them are serious criminal offences under the country’s customary law. The injured students were attacked again while they were at the emergency of Dhaka Medical College Hospital for treatment, which is equivalent to crimes against humanity,” it added.
They also demanded that the ministers and Awami League leaders concerned be brought to book for ordering these attacks.
Condemning the failure of the police and university administrations to prevent the attacks, they extended their support to the logical demands of the quota reform movement.
Ali Imam Majumder, former cabinet secretary; Debapriya Bhattacharya, distinguished fellow at the Centre for Policy Dialogue; Dr Iftekharuzzaman, executive director of Transparency International Bangladesh; Badiul Alam Majumdar, secretary of Shushashoner Jonno Nagorik; Syeda Rizwana Hasan, chief executive of Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association; Prof Anu Muhammad of Jahangirnagar University; Prof Swapan Adnan; CR Abrar, executive director of Refugee and Migratory Movements Research Unit; Prof Asif Nazrul and Prof Shahnaz Huda of DU; Shahidul Alam, renowned photographer; and Maha Mirza, development researcher, were among the signatories.