A team of United Nations experts will visit Bangladesh next week to investigate the killings of protesters before and after Sheikh Hasina’s resignation as prime minister last week, it was announced on Thursday.
According to a UN official, a post on X by the chief adviser to the Bangladesh government said this would be the first time since independence in 1971 that the UN would send a fact-finding mission to investigate widespread human rights abuses in Bangladesh.
Muhammad Yunus was sworn in as chief adviser to the interim government on August 8, days after Sheikh Hasina’s government collapsed and she fled to India on August 5 amid violent protests over quota reforms in government jobs.
“The UN is sending a fact-finding team next week to investigate atrocities committed during the student revolution in July and earlier this month. UN human rights chief Volker Turk announced the move in a phone call to chief adviser Professor Mohammad Yunus late on Wednesday,” the Bangladesh government’s chief adviser said in a post on X, a handle operated by Mohammad Yunus’ office.
The United Nations is sending a fact-finding team next week to investigate atrocities committed during the student revolution in July and earlier this month.
UN human rights chief Volker Turk announced the move in a phone call to chief adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus late on Wednesday night.
— Chief Adviser to the Government of Bangladesh (@ChiefAdviserGoB) August 15, 2024
Bangladesh descended into chaos last week after Sheikh Hasina left, with the military stepping in to fill the power vacuum on Aug. 5. Before that, more than 500 people had been killed in anti-government protests since mid-July.
Meanwhile, Volker Türk assured his support and said an inclusive, human rights-focused approach will ensure that the transition is successful.
Volker Turk said in a post late on Wednesday, “Phone call with @ChiefAdviserGoB Muhammad Yunus was promising. I assured him of the @UNHumanRights office’s solidarity with the people of Bangladesh and our support to the interim government at this critical time. An inclusive, human rights-focused approach will ensure this transition succeeds.” Earlier on Wednesday, after a phone conversation with Turk, Yunus had posted: “UN Human Rights Chief, @volker_turk has called Chief Advisor to Bangladesh Professor Muhammad Yunus on Wednesday.” “A team of UN experts will soon visit the country to investigate (the killings),” Volker Turk said during a phone conversation with Chief Advisor Professor Muhammad Yunus today.
promising phone call with @ChiefAdviserGoB Muhammad Yunus. I assured him @UNHumanRights Solidarity with the public of the office #Bangladesh And our support to the interim government at this crucial time. An inclusive, human rights-focused approach will ensure that this transition is successful. pic.twitter.com/QV9xxDmp80
— Volker Turk (@volker_turk) August 14, 2024
Muhammad Yunus said in a post on X: The UN human rights chief said a UN-led inquiry will be launched very soon to investigate the killing of protesters during the student revolution.
Muhammad Yunus, who sought support from the United Nations to uphold human rights, said human rights would be the cornerstone of his administration and the safety of every citizen was the top priority of the government.
“The Chief Advisor thanked him and his long-term friend UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres for supporting the Bangladesh students’ revolution and advocating for their rights during the unprecedented and devastating killings of student protesters,” Muhammad Yunus said in a series of posts.
Meanwhile, a complaint was filed on Wednesday with the Bangladesh International Crimes Tribunal’s investigation agency against Sheikh Hasina and eight others, accusing them of committing genocide and crimes against humanity during a massive student movement against her government.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
