Why so many deaths?
After at least 150 lives were lost in the recent violence, according to the Home Minister (more than 200 according to other sources), the role of law enforcement in containing the student protests over quota reform, as well as the role of Bangladesh Chhatra League, have come under sharp scrutiny. We asked the experts to weigh in.
'Why were rifles and live ammunition used to handle this situation?'
Law enforcement agencies have "overdone" in this situation, which was unexpected. From what I observed on television, social media and YouTube videos during the protest, [I noticed that] the demonstrators appeared to be using only bricks, sticks and similar objects.
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However, the response from law enforcement seemed disproportionate, as if they were fighting enemies, or they were taking part in combat in a war zone.
This raises the question: why were rifles and live ammunition used to handle a situation that did not appear to warrant such force?
According to a report I read in Prothom Alo, of the 150 reported deaths, at least 56% were due to gunshot wounds. What does gunshot mean here? Either it's a pellet or live bullets.
The use of lethal weapons by the metropolitan police during a relatively non-violent protest, such as the quota reform movement, was not justified.
Overall, the display of force was excessive and inappropriate for the nature of the protest. The response should not have reached such extremes.
This type of movement happens all over the world, and usually, the police aim their shots from the waist down to the legs. There can be a few incidents, but here in Bangladesh, I haven't seen any police shooting below the waist.
They are 'shoot to kill' trigger-happy, meaning, 'I have a gun, therefore, I shoot!' They aimed at the chest, eyes and face.
First of all, what the police did here is not what they are supposed to do. Secondly, the type of weapons used by the police are not generally provided to them worldwide.
The police used automatic lethal weapons to suppress the movement. Regardless of what anyone says, there is no justification for shooting and killing in this manner.
This is murder. Reckless behaviour by the police led to indiscriminate deaths.
The usual weapons seen in the hands of police are Chinese rifles, which are typically handled by the armed forces and paramilitary units. While armed police may have access to such weapons, they are generally not meant to be in the hands of ordinary or metropolitan police officers.
The retired Brigadier General spoke to TBS' Zia Chowdhury over the phone.
'There needs to be a thorough inquiry into the use of live bullets'
It is important to investigate the use of lethal weapons by police and other law enforcement agencies in suppressing the movement. I myself am deeply saddened by this incident, as many lives were lost.
There is a need for a thorough inquiry to analyse the exact context in which the police used live bullets or lethal weapons.
Police can use fire when instructed to control mobs, after following all protocol to protect their own lives and others, when in danger. The question is, during the period from July 16-22, when the movement reached its peak and there were reports of massive loss of life, what was the context in which the police used such force? An explanation should be sought regarding this matter.
During those few days, the movement escalated to street-level conflicts. It takes two to make a quarrel, therefore, responsibility lies with both parties involved.
When the building of Bangladesh Television (BTV) was attacked, where were the police? Why couldn't they control the situation?
Initially, the police handled the movement with patience, but why did they resort to extreme force in the final days? This also needs to be investigated.
The former Inspector General of Bangladesh Police spoke to TBS' Zia Chowdhury over the phone
'Illegal, unconstitutional, and violation of the direction of the apex court'
The way police addressed the situation is absolutely illegal. If I describe their actions in one sentence - this is absolutely illegal, unconstitutional, and violation of the directive of the apex court.
In order to find a solution from the current situation, the way forward is to sit with the protesters. Their demands are not unreasonable. Nowadays, if you consider the number of people seeking jobs with fake certificates, it feels like freedom fighters are taking birth every day in Bangladesh. Anyways, there is no alternative but to sit and have a dialogue with protesters for a solution.
The police are arresting students and cracking down on them; no media is raising this issue. If the media had raised this issue properly, this would have stopped. Please raise these issues in the media. Don't be afraid.
As far as the government is concerned, in terms of their handling of the situation, it was handled very badly.
The senior lawyer and human rights activist spoke to TBS' Masum Billah over the phone.
'Not sure if the violence was BCL's own decision, or imposed on them'
It all began as a non-political, peaceful movement, with both the protesters and the government seemingly in agreement. However, the situation turned violent due to mishandling by both parties. The protest leaders failed to recognise that a third party could exploit the situation.
The actions of the Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) against protesting students on the campuses of Dhaka University or elsewhere were unacceptable. Instead, the BCL should have held meetings and rallies in support of the movement, as the government had already appealed to the Supreme Court against the High Court ruling. They should not have allowed the situation to escalate into violence.
I am not quite sure whether the decision to act violently was made by the current BCL leadership or if it was imposed on them.
I believe the university authorities should implement strict measures before reopening the universities. These measures should include preventing outsiders from entering the campuses and allocating dormitory seats based on merit. There should be no such thing as "Ganaroom" or "Guestroom."
I, however, do not support banning student politics altogether. Instead, I advocate for a return to fair student politics. Elections for the Central Students' Union should be held in every university to establish proper leadership. This would ensure that leadership positions are no longer dictated by party higher-ups.
Since 1991, when the Bangladesh Nationalist Party is in power, the Chhatra Dal dominates campuses, and when the Bangladesh Awami League is in power, the BCL takes over. And leadership has been determined through the selection of the top two, with other positions allocated based on money or influence. It is high time we bid farewell to this kind of student politics.
The General Secretary of Jatiya Party (Manju) spoke to TBS' Jannatul Naym Pieal over the phone.
'House raids, phone checks, mass arrests are clear violation of the constitution'
The mass arrests being carried out, under the guise of block raids, are actually instilling fear in those areas.
The basic principle of criminal law states that no one can be made an accused in a case without specific charges against them. Article 43 of the Constitution of Bangladesh mentions the rights of citizens in this regard.
However, what is happening is that electricity and internet connections in specific areas are being cut off, and houses are being raided to find suspects – as a result, essentially, creating an atmosphere of fear.
Students could be involved in the protest in many harmless ways. Someone might have given water to a student involved in the quota reform movement, someone might have taken a picture while passing by on the street. Now many of them are being taken away simply based on suspicion and made accused in cases.
This is a clear violation of the Constitution and the Criminal Code of Procedure (CrPC).
Moreover, the police or law enforcement agencies cannot check a citizen's phone in this manner; it violates personal privacy, which is protected by the Constitution. The instances of going house to house to arrest students or other ordinary people are in no way lawful.
The Human Rights Activist and Advocate spoke to TBS' Zia Chowdhury over the phone.
