Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina sought cooperation from the United Nations (UN) and other international organisations to conduct a proper investigation into the nationwide mayhem to punish the real culprits involved in the attacks taking advantage of the anti-quota movement. The people involved in the mayhem have to be exposed to justice.
The government will take foreign technical assistance for the judicial inquiry committee to make it an appropriate, qualitative, and highly standard inquiry of the quota reform movement. The government has already formed a judicial probe commission with an apex court justice to investigate the matter.
People involved in
the mayhem have to
be exposed to justice
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and international organisations have expressed their concerns over emerging reports about what they term ‘‘excessive use of force and human rights violations’ in Bangladesh surrounding the quota reform movement. They are concerned about the reported arrests of young people and political opponents in connection with the current student movement. Many foreigners from abroad, including organizations and teachers of universities, are making statements. However, the government knows who are coordinating them. We think the statement-givers should see the destructive activities of BNP-Jamaat-Shibir and their collaborators instead of making statements. They (BNP-Jamaat-Shibir) have torched 44 BRTC buses, toll plazas of elevated expressways, and metro rail.
The government is firmly committed to carrying out a thorough and transparent investigation into each and every incident took place during the quota reform movement and bringing all culprits to book.
However, still, the global media is stuck into an equation which is the binary one and government versus student protesters. But that is not the case at all. There was a third-party engagement to this end.
The third party means BNP, Jamaat, Shibir, and Islamic radicals. They carried out the destruction and violence. Unfortunately, some people got stuck in the situation leading to the casualties. It is not true that over 200 students were killed in the incident. According to government accounts, the total figure is 150.
The miscreants stormed jail and forced some 826 prisoners including nine high-level jihadists to flee the prison, looted firearms and ammunition. The militants damaged 235 police facilities, destroyed 69 police outposts and killed many police officers and hanged police personnel on bridges.
The UN and other international organisations should pay heed to the prime minister’s call to stand by Bangladesh for a proper investigation into the nationwide mayhem. They must visit and see the destructive activities of BNP-Jamaat-Shibir before giving any statement.
