A report by the UN Human Rights Office has revealed that Bangladesh’s former government, led by Sheikh Hasina, alongside security forces and Awami League-affiliated groups, engaged in widespread human rights violations during last year’s student-led protests.
Based on testimonies from senior officials and supporting evidence, the report found that an official policy was in place to violently suppress anti-government demonstrators and their supporters. The scale of the crackdown raises concerns about potential crimes against humanity, necessitating immediate and thorough criminal investigations.
"Credible sources estimate that as many as 1,400 people were killed between July 1 and August 15, with thousands more injured—most of whom were shot by Bangladesh’s security forces," stated a press release from the UN Human Rights Office. Among the casualties, 12-13% were reportedly children. The report also noted that 44 police officers lost their lives during the unrest.
The protests erupted following a controversial High Court ruling that reinstated a quota system in public service jobs but were fueled by deeper frustrations over political corruption, economic disparity, and poor governance. To maintain its grip on power, the former administration resorted to increasingly violent tactics to suppress dissent, the report concluded.
“The brutal response was a calculated and coordinated strategy by the former government to cling to power despite mass opposition,” said UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk at a press conference in Geneva.
Türk emphasized that the evidence pointed to extrajudicial killings, arbitrary arrests, detentions, and torture, all carried out under the knowledge and direction of senior political and security officials. He described these acts as among the gravest human rights violations, which could also constitute international crimes.
Following a request from interim leader Professor Dr. Mohammed Yunus, the UN dispatched a fact-finding team in September. The team, which included human rights investigators, a forensic physician, and a weapons expert, received full cooperation from the interim government and was granted access to critical information.
The report cited direct testimonies from former senior officials and other sources who revealed that Sheikh Hasina and high-ranking officials oversaw extensive operations where security forces shot, killed, or detained protesters arbitrarily. Evidence indicated a pattern of deliberate killings and maiming, including instances where demonstrators were shot at close range.
One widely documented case involved Abu Sayeed, a protester filmed spreading his arms and daring police to shoot him during a demonstration at Begum Rokeya University in Rangpur. Investigators used video footage, geolocation data, and forensic analysis to confirm he was shot at least twice with metal pellets from a distance of 14 meters. The report concluded that his killing was an act of extrajudicial execution by police.
Women protest leaders were also targeted, facing arbitrary arrests, torture, and violent assaults, often at the hands of both security forces and Awami League supporters. The report documented instances of gender-based violence, including threats of rape aimed at deterring female participation in protests.
Children were not spared in the crackdown, with many subjected to unlawful detention, inhumane conditions, and physical abuse. One tragic case detailed how a 12-year-old protester in Dhanmondi died from internal bleeding after being hit by around 200 metal pellets. Another case in Narayanganj reported the death of a six-year-old girl, who was struck by a bullet while watching a protest from her rooftop.
Eyewitness accounts described the deadly final days of the protests, with one 12-year-old survivor from Azampur recalling police gunfire as “falling like rain” and witnessing multiple deaths.
The report also condemned security forces for obstructing medical treatment for injured protesters. It detailed instances where authorities interrogated patients, collected their fingerprints in hospitals, intimidated medical personnel, and seized hospital CCTV footage to conceal the extent of state violence.
Alongside documenting these abuses, the UN report proposed extensive reforms to Bangladesh’s security and justice systems, calling for the repeal of oppressive laws designed to suppress political dissent. It urged broader systemic changes in governance to prevent future human rights violations.
“Bangladesh must confront these atrocities through truth-telling, justice, and accountability,” said High Commissioner Volker Türk. “This is essential for national healing and ensuring such grave violations never occur again.”
He reaffirmed the UN’s commitment to assisting Bangladesh in its pursuit of justice and reform.
