Motalab:
The United Nations Human Rights Office (OHCHR) has accused the former Bangladesh government of deploying militarised forces even before the July-August 2024 protests turned violent. In a fact-finding report on human rights violations last year, the OHCHR stated that the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), and Ansar/VDP battalions were mobilised with an apparent intention to militarise the state’s response and escalate the use of lethal force.
According to the report, the serious human rights violations and abuses committed by security forces and armed Awami League supporters between July 15 and August 5, 2024, were part of a calculated effort to retain power at all costs by using unlawful means to suppress the protests.
Political Suppression and Use of Force
The OHCHR report, released on February 12, states that the then-government and Awami League leadership perceived the protest movement as being infiltrated by political opposition and saw it as a major threat to its grip on power.
It further alleges that the former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, just days before her controversial “razakar” remarks, took a hardline approach by assigning the military intelligence agency DGFI to handle student protests. Awami League leaders publicly supported this stance, using intimidation tactics against demonstrators, which set the stage for further violations.
From mid-July, the former government and ruling party expanded their use of armed groups, deploying increasingly violent methods to systematically suppress the protests. The report attributes this crackdown to hundreds of extrajudicial killings, thousands of injuries, and widespread arbitrary arrests, detentions, and torture.
Chhatra League’s Role in Suppressing Protests
The initial phase of repression reportedly involved violent attacks by Chhatra League activists against student protesters on university campuses and surrounding areas. These attacks, the report claims, were orchestrated by senior Awami League leaders and government ministers.
The Chhatra League President publicly vowed that “no razakar will be on the streets” from July 15, instructing party activists to crack down on student demonstrators. Additionally, senior Awami League leaders, including Obaidul Quader, along with three other ministers, allegedly made inciting remarks, branding students as traitors and “razakars” who had lost their right to protest.
As the protests intensified, armed Awami League supporters reportedly continued launching attacks on demonstrators, sometimes alongside security forces, with parliament members and state officials even leading the assaults.
Heavy Weaponry and Disproportionate Force
The report states that Bangladesh security forces used helicopters to intimidate protesters, while police and RAB on the ground fired military rifles and shotguns with lethal ammunition—despite many protesters merely blocking roads without posing an imminent threat.
The escalation of violence reportedly forced some protesters to defend themselves, while others engaged in unlawful attacks on government buildings, transportation infrastructure, and law enforcement officers. However, the government’s response was described as indiscriminate and disproportionate, with widespread firearm use against demonstrators.
The OHCHR report has sparked international concerns, with human rights organizations calling for further investigations and accountability for the alleged abuses during the July-August 2024 protests.
