This 105-page UN report lays bare the scale and severity of the human rights violations committed by the regime led by the ex-prime minister Sheikh Hasina to repress anti-government protests in Bangladesh

Responding to the UN Fact-Finding report published yesterday which finds reasonable grounds to believe Bangladesh’s former Government and security apparatus systematically engaged in a range of serious human rights violations raising concerns as to crimes against humanity, Smriti Singh, regional director for South Asia at Amnesty International, said:

“This 105-page UN report lays bare the scale and severity of the human rights violations committed by the regime led by the ex-prime minister Sheikh Hasina to repress anti-government protests in Bangladesh. It echoes and expands on the findings by Amnesty International and other human rights organizations from last year. While the report is an important attempt to address serious violations in the country, the UN should not stop its efforts here. Continued efforts for investigation and fact-finding by UN human rights mechanisms are critical to support accountability and justice for victims in Bangladesh.

“The Interim Government must take seriously the UN recommendation to consider referring to the International Criminal Court all the incidents which took place between 1 July to 15 August in Bangladesh. The government must also implement other immediate and longer-term recommendations in the report including guarantees of fair trial and due process in ongoing investigations, security and justice sector reform and repeal of draconian laws that restrict civic space, among others.  However, to ensure lasting truth, justice, accountability, reparations and guarantees of non-recurrence, the engagement with UN mechanisms and bodies must continue beyond this. Any failure to do so would be to turn our backs on the victims and survivors.”

To ensure lasting truth, justice, accountability, reparations and guarantees of non-recurrence, the engagement with UN mechanisms and bodies must continue beyond this. Any failure to do so would be to turn our backs on the victims and survivors.

Smriti Singh, regional director for South Asia at Amnesty International

Background

On 12 February, the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) published their report based on an independent fact-finding inquiry into alleged human rights violations and abuses that occurred during widespread protests in Bangladesh between 1 July and 15 August 2024.

Last year, Amnesty International had documented the violence and repression in Bangladesh in response to the students-led quota-reform protests across the country. We published a video verification series documenting evidence of the unlawful use of both lethal and less-lethal force against student protesters.