For all latest news, follow The Financial Express Google News channel.
The UNHCR has reported the death of at least 650 people during the quota reform movement and the violence surrounding it in Bangladesh.
On Friday, the UNHCR published the preliminary report of the violence surrounding the quota protests on its official website.
The analysis said that according to the local media reports and the information provided by several activists, over 600 people were killed between Jul 16 and Aug 11 in Bangladesh.
“Of these, nearly 400 deaths were reported from Jul 16 to Aug 4, while around 250 people were reportedly killed following the new wave of protests between Aug 5 and Aug 6.”
Hundreds of people were killed in the three weeks of unrest that followed during the quota reform movement, according to a bdnews24.com report. The movement later turned into a mass student-citizen uprising to topple the government at the beginning of August.
Earlier, the UN had offered the deposed Awami League government to run an independent investigation into the violence that sparked amid the quota reform protests.
At that time, despite asking for help from the UN, the government did not allow the international organisation to operate an independent investigation.
However, after the formation of the caretaker government, the UNHCR has decided to send a fact-finding mission to Bangladesh to probe the violence that took place in the last few weeks.
The preliminary report was published before the arrival of the fact-finding mission who are set to visit Dhaka sometime next week.
“Those killed include protesters, bystanders, journalists covering the events and a number of members of the security forces.
Thousands of protesters and bystanders have been injured, with hospitals overwhelmed by the influx of patients,” said the report.
“The reported death toll is likely an underestimate, as information collection has been hindered by restrictions on movement due to the curfew and the internet shutdown. Furthermore, hospitals were reportedly prevented by State authorities from providing details of those killed and injured.”
The report also mentions that the majority of deaths and injuries were caused by law enforcing agency and Bangladesh Chhatra League.
“These casualties resulted from the use of live ammunition and other force against protesters who, while acting violently, reportedly were not armed, or only lightly armed, as well as from instances of security forces unlawfully using lethal force against protesters posing no apparent threat, unarmed protesters, and bystanders, including at least four journalists and at least 32 children, with many more injured and detained - a number of whom were seemingly deliberately targeted.”
The UN also highlighted the death of Abu Sayeed, who was killed during a clash in front of Begum Rokeya University in Rangpur during the protests.