After over a hundred young people, precisely students, were killed by the government armed forces in liaison with the ruling party affiliates in Bangladesh, the country’s lone Nobel laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus made a clarion call to the international community, including the United Nations, to halt the murder of agitating Bangladeshi nationals across the south Asian nation.
“The nationwide killing spree of Bangladeshi students and other citizens must be prevented. I urge the media outlets across the globe to come forward reporting the ground reality so that many precious lives can be saved,” said Professor Yunus, a man of international fame for his revolutionary banking and social business that enhances not only Bangladesh but many other nations, but faces personal harassments from Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina with a number of fictitious legal charges.
Speaking to this writer from Paris last Tuesday, the visiting octogenarian banker turned social thinker also insisted on quality television debates and pragmatic editorials over the turmoil faced by his beloved country of 170 million people, where even the ‘high school students become the victims’ as they joined the anti-quota movement that began on 1 July following a court order reinstating the reservation facility in all government jobs for the dependants of war veterans.
“Engulfed in a serious crisis, Bangladesh witnesses millions of students and others protesting nationals have been attacked by the police and Border Guard Bangladesh personnel leading to more than 200 deaths and 700 injuries, some of whom remain in serious health conditions,” exclaimed Professor Yunus, asserting that ‘there must be inve, the prestigious Dhaka University campus demanding the abolition of the reservation quota for the dependents of freedom fighters’ families (who fought against the brutal Pakistani forces), it spread quickly to other university campuses and cities to emerge as a national outrage against the Awami League-led government in Dhaka. The general population, who are seemingly unhappy with the Hasina regime. which achieved the fourth consecutive victory on January 7 in the national elections with no opposition candidates on the field, joined the movement to make it a major challenge to Hasina.
The ruling party leaders, including some ministers in Hasina’s cabinet, alleged that the anti-quota movement was hijacked by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party along with radicalized Jamaat-e-Islami workers to topple the government. They claimed that the so-called agitators with the endorsement of BNP leaders indulged in violent activities. BNP chief Khaleda Zia’s son Tarique Rahman, who has been living in exile for years, was also accused of hatching a conspiracy against the government. The ruling party leaders also denied the allegation that the quota facility had benefited the loyalists of Hasina alone.
The government imposed a nationwide curfew with the shoot-at-sight order on 20 July and deployed military personnel to support the police and civilian authorities. The agitation turned violent following the aggression shown by the members of Bangladesh Chhatra League and Juba League (student and youth wing of ruling Awami League) on the agitators.
Lately the Supreme Court restricted the space for reservation to freedom fighters’ families from 30 to 5 percent. But the apex court did not scrap the reservation policy and hence it may not immediately quell down the protest, as the students vowed to continue their movement until the particular quota gets abolished.
Professor Yunus finally called on world leaders to do everything within their powers to end the violence against those who are exercising their rights to protest. The internet and telephone services were thoroughly restricted and so it was unlikely that his fellow citizens could hear the appeal or take their own initiatives.
The protesting student leaders maintained their additional demands to release all detained leaders, repeal the curfew and reopen the educational institutions across the country. Moreover, they raised voices for responsibility to be fixed on concerned ministers and officers for the brutal crackdown that resulted in the deaths of scores of agitators. The authorities are yet to make any revelation regarding the casualties that may have crossed 150 precious lives from 18 to 21 July.
Amidst the chaos, a young reporter named Hasan Mehedi was killed at Jatrabari area of Dhaka on 18 July. Mehedi, who worked for Bangla digital media outlet Dhaka Times was covering the clashes which erupted between the police forces and agitating students, and died of bullet injuries in his head. Various global media safety and rights bodies including Paris-based Reporters sans/without Borders (RSF) and Geneva- Press Emblem Campaign (PEC) expressed shock and grief over the killing of Mehedi and demanded a fair probe into the incident that led to his death.
Over 30 journalists were wounded while covering the protest demonstrations in the last few days. PEC president Blaise Lempen, while speaking to this writer from Geneva, stated that the media persons in Bangladesh have to work in an adverse situation because of many brutal laws formulated by the Bangla government in Dhaka in recent years. He urged Dhaka to look into the matter seriously and adequately compensate the bereaved family as early as possible.
Various governments including that of the USA advised their citizens to avoid travelling to Bangladesh due to the civil unrest for many days. The Indian government also advised the citizens not to visit violence-hit Bangladesh immediately.
Moreover the high commission in Dhaka asked around 15,000 Indian nationals in Bangladesh to avoid non-essential travelling. The assistant high commissions in Chittagong, Sylhet and Khulna facilitated many Indians along with the students to return home by air or through Akhurah border point in Tripura, Dawki check gate in Meghalaya and Benapole point in West Bengal. Thousands of students belonging to various parts of India as well as Bhutan and Nepal had left the violence-ridden country.
Professor Yunus finally called on world leaders to do everything within their powers to end the violence against those who are exercising their rights to protest. The internet and telephone services were thoroughly restricted and so it was unlikely that his fellow citizens could hear the appeal or take their own initiatives. Hence the former university professor urged the people of goodwill around the world to add their voices to the call to end this carnage, so that the natives can go back to their mission to build a self-reliant, democratic and peaceful Bangladesh.
