Dhaka: The United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) has released a report scrutinizing the actions of police and security forces during the 2024 Bangladesh uprising. According to the report, the security forces were responsible for “systematic and widespread extrajudicial killings as part of a coordinated strategy of repression.”
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the report, unveiled at the OHCHR’s Geneva headquarters, states that the majority of the estimated 1,400 deaths during the uprising were the result of shootings by Bangladesh’s security forces. The report includes a dedicated chapter titled ‘Use of force violations by Police, RAB and BGB, including extrajudicial killings,’ which outlines the expected conduct of law enforcement under international human rights law.
The report highlights that the use of force by police and paramilitary forces, including the RAB and BGB, from July 15 to August 5, contravened legal principles and violated the rights to life and personal security. It also notes that while the protest movement aimed to create disruption through road blockades and urban shutdowns, some elements in the crowds engaged in violence against public infrastructure and police, which might have justified proportionate force in certain instances. However, the report criticizes the security forces for not adhering to this approach.
Further, the report condemns the indiscriminate use of firearms against protesters, stressing that any such use should be strictly necessary and targeted only at individuals posing an imminent threat. Instead, security forces reportedly used disproportionate force, employing military rifles and shotguns loaded with lethal metal pellets to disperse assemblies, resulting in indiscriminate shootings at mixed crowds of peaceful protesters, vandals, rioters, and bystanders.
The report cites specific incidents, including the killing of Abu Sayeed in Rangpur on July 16, where OHCHR found credible evidence of police involvement. It mentions that according to police reports, clashes erupted when protesters attempted to forcefully enter a university, leading to the police firing gas shells and blank bullets.
Former senior officials interviewed by OHCHR indicated that shotguns loaded with metal shot were not considered lethal weapons by Bangladeshi law enforcement, allowing for their use when less-lethal methods were ineffective. This policy led to routine firing of lethal metal pellets to disperse protesters and protect property.
The OHCHR also documented extensive shootings in other protest hotspots, including Jatrabari in Dhaka, where security forces conducted a violent operation to clear the Dhaka-Chattogram highway under directives from political and senior security leadership.
The report also points to incidents on August 5, where Army and BGB personnel did not fulfill their roles, allowing large numbers of protesters to enter Dhaka. It estimates that nearly 400 people were killed on that day alone.
The OHCHR calls for further investigation into these events and highlights the need for accountability concerning the actions of the security forces during the uprising.