A murder case has been filed against former Bangladesh premier Sheikh Hasina over a grocer’s death
Associated PressAug 27, 2024
Bangladesh: UN Says Hasina Govt Committed 'Crimes Against Humanity'
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Image copyright: Wikimedia Commons
The Facts
The UN human rights investigation has found that Bangladesh's former government, led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, orchestrated systematic attacks on protesters between July 1 and August 15, 2024, resulting in an estimated 1.4K deaths and thousands of injuries.
The probe revealed that security forces, allegedly working with violent elements of the Awami League party, deliberately targeted protesters with extrajudicial killings, arbitrary arrests, and torture. Children reportedly comprised 12–13% of the casualties.
The protests initially began over civil service job quotas but escalated into broader demonstrations against government corruption and economic inequality, leading to Hasina's eventual resignation and flight to India last August.
The Spin
Narrative A
The brutal crackdown on peaceful protesters was a calculated strategy by the Hasina government to maintain power at any cost, with direct orders from top officials to suppress opposition through violent means. Security forces acted with impunity, deliberately targeting civilians — including children while obstructing medical care and intimidating witnesses. Accountability and justice are essential for the future of Bangladesh so such human rights violations don't happen again.
Narrative B
The security response was necessary to maintain order during a period of escalating politically motivated violence that resulted in the unfortunate deaths of police officers. The protests had evolved from legitimate grievances into a broader destabilization campaign that threatened national security and public safety. This suggests that the report could be biased as it was requested by Bangladesh's caretaker leader, Muhammad Yunus, who likely provided doctored evidence to the UN to malign Hasina.
