[🇧🇩] In Bangladesh, A Violent 'Student Revolution' is on بنگلہ دیش میں انقلاب

[Saif]

https://thefinancialexpress.com.bd/national/protesters-announce-march-for-justice-programme-for-wednesday

Protesters announce 'March for Justice' programme for Wednesday
FE ONLINE DESK
Published :
Jul 30, 2024 22:01
Updated :
Jul 30, 2024 22:01

File Photo

The Anti-Discrimination Student Movement has announced a 'March for Justice' programme for Wednesday at all educational institutions, courts, and streets across the country to push for their nine-point demand.

Coordinator Abdul Hannan Masud announced the programme in a press release on Tuesday night.​

 

[Saif]

Stop using force: Government's words and deeds must match

If the government is to normalise the situation, they have to move away from the policy of using force right now. They have to move away from the policy of saying something and taking a different path of action in actuality. This is the only way to create an environment of trust.

en.prothomalo.com

Stop using force: Government's words and deeds must match
Editorial Desk
Published: 30 Jul 2024, 20: 03

It was assumed that after the verdict of the Supreme Court there would be a peaceful and logical end to the quota reform movement of the students. And, normalcy would be restored all over the country including the educational institutions. The eight-point demand presented by the students also mentioned immediate opening of the universities and the safety of the general students.

Notably, there have been over 200 deaths and several thousand injuries from clashes and bullets fired by the law and order enforcement agencies during the quota reform movement. Besides, extensive amount of state properties were also destroyed.

We had expected that the government would take initiative to resolve the crisis quickly through a discussion with the protesting students for rapid improvement of the situation. The ministers had given such indications also. But with grave concern we noticed that various tactics were adopted to create division among the protesters.

The question is, if the law and order enforcement forces can take anyone away like this or not? The Detective Branch as an excuse cited that the father of one of the coordinators had expressed concern over their (the coordinators) safety.

Meanwhile, there are allegations that quite a few people including one of the main coordinators of the movement, Nahid Islam had been picked up from their homes and then tortured.

The incident that followed is even more concerning. Three of the coordinators who were undergoing treatment at the hospital, were taken away to the headquarters of the Detective Branch (DB) without allowing their treatment to be complete.

Additional commissioner of the Detective Branch (DB), Harun-or-Rashid claimed that they have been taken there for the sake of their own safety. Although there's no such evidence that any of the coordinators have sought protection. There's enough reason to consider the matter of their being taken to the DB office involuntarily.

The question is, if the law and order enforcement forces, can take anyone away like this or not? The Detective Branch as an excuse cited that the father of one of the coordinators had expressed concern over their (the coordinators) safety.

It's clear that their concerns are actually regarding the law and order enforcement forces themselves. For, it's them who are accused of picking and beating up a coordinator after all.

There has been an announcement of the sort that the protesting students have withdrawn their programmes. But, why did that come at a time when they are under 'protective custody' at the DB headquarters?

If they wanted to call off the programmes at their own will, they would have done it outdoors from the university campus or from some other location. Clearly, there's no honest motive behind taking the six coordinators away to DB headquarters and spreading footages of them having meal on the social media.

Seeking a directive on the release of six 'detained' coordinators of the anti-discrimination student movement and not shooting protesters at different locations of the country, two of the Supreme Court lawyers, Manjur Al Matin Pritom and Aynunnahar Siddiqa filed a writ petition on Monday.

On this issue, a bench formed with Justice Mustafa Zaman Islam and Justice SM Masud Hossain Dolon calling attention of the state said, "Who told you to do so? Why did you do it? Do not ridicule the nation. Whoever you detain, you make them dine on the table."

The government on one hand is calling out the students to withdraw their programmes while continuing all the efforts of creating a sense of fear among them on the other. Keeping a few of the coordinators detained at the DB headquarters is supposed to instill fear among other coordinators as well. This is not the way to normalise the situation or gaining the trust of the students.

If the government is to normalise the situation, they have to move away from the policy of using force right now. They have to move away from the policy of saying something and taking a different path of action in actuality. This is the only way to create an environment of trust.​

 

[Saif]

Teachers' body condemns ‘police attack’ on two DU teachers

The University Teachers' Network yesterday condemned the alleged police misbehavior and attack on two Dhaka University teachers when they tried to protect protesting students from detention

www.thedailystar.net

Teachers' body condemns 'police attack' on two DU teachers

The University Teachers' Network yesterday condemned the alleged police misbehavior and attack on two Dhaka University teachers when they tried to protect protesting students from detention.

The teachers' network in a statement also demanded a proper investigation into the incident by the authorities concerned.

It said police attacked and misbehaved with DU's public administration department's Prof Nusrat Jahan Chowdury and Shehreen Amin Bhuiyan, a lecturer of the same department, yesterday.

It said an attack on the teachers and students who were demonstrating for justice for the victims of violence during the quota reform protests on campus "is horrible and a severe blow to the university's autonomy".

The statement said the network will hold a protest rally at DU campus today protesting the killings and incidents of repressions on teachers and students.

Besides, the teachers' network expressed solidarity with students and people who are set to hold a mourning procession from in front of the National Press Club on Friday demanding the resignation of the government over the killings, proper trial on the atrocities, release of those detained, the withdrawal of curfew and reopening of educational institutions.​

 

[Saif]

Govt has become 'public enemy': Fakhrul

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir today said the existential crisis of the government is gradually deepening as it has now become a "public enemy" by carrying out "genocide" to suppress the student protests

www.thedailystar.net

Govt has become 'public enemy': Fakhrul

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir today said the existential crisis of the government is gradually deepening as it has now become a "public enemy" by carrying out "genocide" to suppress the student protests.

In a statement, he called upon people from all walks of life to take part in the ongoing student-led protests to end all injustices by removing the "fascist" Awami League government.

"The government, now isolated from the people, has become a public enemy by committing ruthless and barbaric attacks and genocide," the BNP leader said.

He also said the indiscriminate killings to subdue the movement are a crime against humanity and punishable by the International Criminal Court.

He appreciated the civil society members and people from different professions for raising their voices against the government's injustice, misdeeds, and mass murder.

Fakhrul also called for the immediate and unconditional release of those arrested, withdrawal of the curfew, return of the army to their barracks, lifting of restrictions on gatherings, and reopening of educational institutions.​

 

[Saif]

Only justice for the killings can restore public trust

Govt must allow independent probe into the deaths of protesters

www.thedailystar.net

Only justice for the killings can restore public trust
Govt must allow impartial probe into the bloody crackdown by security forces

VISUAL: STAR

Try as it may, the government can no longer circumvent critical questions about the role of security forces and ruling party cadres in the deaths of protesters. Five trends that have emerged from the law enforcement measures taken in response to the violent events of July 18-21 are blaming the violence squarely on BNP-Jamaat (without evidence); mass arrests, often through block raids; gross violation of Supreme Court guidelines for arrests and remand; making destruction of public properties—rather than the deaths—a central focus of investigation; and suppression of student organisers and protesters through various tactics. All this has reaffirmed doubts about the government's sincerity to ensure justice for the horrific tragedy that befell our nation.

Against this backdrop, the prime minister's statement on Wednesday about seeking cooperation from the United Nations and other international organisations to conduct a "fair and proper investigation" into the nationwide violence offers a ray of hope. This comes after repeated calls for credible international investigations into the deaths over the last few days. Even the UN and the European Union also demanded a thorough and impartial probe. The PM, we may recall, earlier said the government would seek "foreign technical assistance" for the judicial inquiry committee. It has already indicated that the commission—initially tasked with investigating only the six deaths of July 16—can now probe all the killings that have since occurred.

Where does it all leave us, probe-wise? The picture that emerges from the above scenario is a bit confusing. We have no details yet about the extent of any possible UN involvement or how it will sit with the ongoing investigations by police and the judiciary. Will it be limited to the technical aspect of the investigation only? What about other stages of the investigation and justice processes? With the entire law enforcement machine keyed to political manoeuvres, how much help the judicial commission or any team headed by the UN will have from relevant state departments in, say, collecting or verifying evidence remains to be seen.

But as things stand, there is a huge gap between what's being said or sought publicly and what's being done on the ground. Leave aside the widespread panic caused by arresting nearly 11,000 individuals, including many students, over the last 13 days. Even while the PM made her UN probe call, there were reports from different parts of the country about security forces violently disrupting the protesters' "March for Justice" by charging batons and using other heavy-handed tactics. Many protesters were held, many injured. Clearly, protesters continue to be targeted as they were before. Now consider the fact that no legal steps have been taken against any member of the security forces involved in the killings. The disparity couldn't be more obvious, indicating that the government is still in denial, and without a complete turnaround in current practices, justice may continue to elude us.

To this day, the number of people who died varies widely—at least 163 as per by this daily, 150 as per the government, 211 as per Prothom Alo, 266 as per the student platform. The actual number could be much higher. So many deaths cannot go unaddressed or unpunished. The government must realise that nothing short of a fair investigation into its own forces—who shot indiscriminately at the protesters, aided by party cadres—will restore public order or give credibility to its efforts. Any investigation also must delve into how the conflicts became so violent in the first place, and lead to accountability for those truly responsible. The government should also stop harassing the protesters and ordinary citizens immediately.​

 

[Saif]

Violence against students: ENOUGH!

When Bangladesh bleeds, no one scores any political point, however lofty their political ideologies are.

www.thedailystar.net

Violence against students: ENOUGH!

When Bangladesh bleeds, no one scores any political point, however lofty their political ideologies are. The photo was taken in Dhaka on July 19, 2024. FILE PHOTO: FIROZ AHMED

Police patrol. Paramilitary fly and fire. Army amble amid curfew. Smokes lick the sky. Shrieks and screams can be heard from many places. A slow-motion mayhem is all set. The horror unleashes. They cry. They sigh. They die. Clashes and confrontations renew. Bullets still pierce. Blood still drips. Bodies still drop. The atmosphere is spooky.

This is not a scene from a horror movie. This is what unfurled in Bangladesh during the third week of July. We are jinxed since. A part of the whole state apparatus appears to be up against its student populations. They are brutally killed and fatally wounded. No one knows exactly how many students have already perished. Victims, including civilians, are legion. As of July 30, The Daily Star confirmed 163 deaths. No student movement has been attempted to be quelled by any government since our independence in 1971 that costs so many lives. This is perplexing, paralysing!

Shockingly, a disconnected voice reminds us that the government has deployed only five percent of its power to deal with the defectors, who are the agents of anarchy. They (read: the government) don't own up to the terrible mess that the country is now. They look for scapegoats. They swagger around like saints and angels, whose failure is someone else's fault. Whatever they did, and do, bolsters democracy and fosters development. Rigged elections don't bother them. A muzzled press doesn't embarrass them. Epic corruption charges against government officials seem to them infractions of a slapstick proportion. They ignore. Consequently, the potential for crime, corruption, and discrimination metastasises. People feel divided and vulnerable. They yet stand no criticism. When they encounter a conflict with their beliefs, values, and vision, they become confrontational and condescending. They trot out labels for othering. One of the common labels they almost religiously drizzle is Razakar—the traitor. This time around, the label fell on the wrong ears, and exploded agitations nationwide.

And that's how we've reached where we stand now. Students from universities across the country were protesting against the quota system in civil service. On July 21, the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court ordered that 93 percent of jobs in civil service will be merit-based. Case closed!

If it were! The country simmers in anger and uncertainty, for, in the meantime, what the government did went against every rule. Patience and negotiations were not their currencies of reconciliation. They threatened repression. They lauded the muscle power of their student wing. Nothing seemed enough to deflect the students from their demands. The government pulled the levers of power immediately. Police swung into action. They appeared exhausted. Paramilitary chipped in. The chaos confounded. The army took over the streets. Curfew continues. Helicopters whir. Guns roar. Sound grenades blast. Whoever lives here, as it seems, lives by luck. Many are not lucky enough against guns and goons. Death sneaks around for anyone, everyone. Why did the government pit itself against its student populations when some of them are not voters yet and most of them are disinterested in politics? They are off to the wrong genies. Students mustn't have been the excuse for the government to lock everyone down in their houses.

The government proceeded from the assumption that they would weather the crisis and would come out strong, as they did in the past with protests and movements. Their tactics and rhetoric seemed tested. They appeared invincible. Abu Sayed, a student of Begum Rokeya University in Rangpur, punctured their aura of invincibility. Abu Sayed was killed live on July 16. He stood open-air with a stick in his hand, pretending to dodge a fusillade of rubber bullets. The bullets hit hard. He collapsed to the ground. He bled profusely and lost consciousness before he perished on his way to the hospital. The nation witnessed how state-sponsored violence crushed innocence and courage to maintain its grip on power. People panicked. Anger intensified. The protests were no longer confined to public universities. Students from private universities, colleges, and schools joined. The whole country seemed implicated. The country that emerged subsequently was not the country we thought we knew.

Why did the students have to protest to compete for government jobs on the basis of merit? Jobs are one of the primal needs that a functional country ensures to its citizens. While the country is awash in rhetoric of development, the unemployment rate is still staggeringly high in Bangladesh. Jobs here mean government jobs, given the perks and privileges attached to them. Approximately 400,000 candidates apply for 3,000 positions in the civil service in Bangladesh each year. Such a system also contributes to causing discrimination in social, economic, and political structures by disrupting equilibrium. Students realised that, as did everyone. When, however, the government realised it, it was already too late. The country already paid " such a heavy price," when it finally acquiesced to the students' demand, as Sushmita S Preetha, in her pitch "Did we have to pay such a heavy price for this verdict?" in The Daily Star, claims. It's a sobering time for the country now.

I have never felt so helpless and useless thus far in my life. I wonder what it means to be a teacher in the face of such a crisis. The more I commit to my country, the more I feel connected to my students. I'm deeply invested in helping them forge their future so that the country marches forward. Now that they are on the streets and their lives are endangered, grief and guilt consume me. During the protests, we saw authority without leadership from the merchants of dreams. Whose dream was that nightmare? They used such a big knife to cut such a small political cake. I wish they were more patriotic and political. Their hubris was puzzling!

That upsets me. The country hangs on a cliff to go further south. Every infrastructure totalled, every life perished, and every drop of blood spilt are provocations for further division and destruction. A sledgehammer approach to turning the country on the right track is apparently a recipe for disaster. When Bangladesh bleeds, no one scores any political point, however lofty their political ideologies are. The student movement demonstrates that we lose as a nation when we fight for political space and prestige amid traumas and tragedies. I apprehend times of dread ahead. Toni Morrison claims, referring to her friend, in her essay, "No Place for Self-Pity, No Room for Fear," that this is precisely the time for artists to go to work. Teaching is the art of cultivating wisdom and ethics. Being a teacher, I'm an artist. With prayers and tears, as I resolve to resume my work, I implore everyone to stop bleeding Bangladesh.

It's already ENOUGH!

Dr Mohammad Shamsuzzaman is associate professor at the Department of English and Modern Languages in North South University (NSU).​

 

[Saif]

Rights violations soar amid protests

A recent media monitoring report revealed that the ongoing anti-discrimination student protests in Bangladesh have resulted in at least 211 deaths and nearly 7,730 injuries.

www.thedailystar.net

Rights violations soar amid protests
Says MSF report

A recent media monitoring report revealed that the ongoing anti-discrimination student protests in Bangladesh have resulted in at least 211 deaths and nearly 7,730 injuries.

The report also revealed that there have been 798 incidents of violence and sabotage nationwide, resulting in 10,372 arrests.

Prepared by the Manabadhikar Shongskriti Foundation (MSF) and verified by local rights defenders, the report analysed data from major print and online dailies based in Bangladesh.

As per the report, in Dhaka division alone, 270 cases have led to 2,891 arrests. Notably, over 2,13,000 individuals, many of whom are unidentified, have been accused in 200 cases.

Additionally, 259 students have been arrested across Dhaka and 18 other districts for their alleged involvement in sabotage during the unrest.

The report also detailed political violence over the past two months, with at least eight people killed and 214 injured in 30 incidents in June and July. Post-election violence has claimed another eight lives and injured 490 people in 50 separate incidents.

Between June and July, there were 559 reported incidents of violence against women and girls -- including 82 cases of rape, 24 cases of gang rape, four murders following rape, 42 cases of attempted rape, 143 murders, and 63 cases of physical abuse.

The MSF report further revealed that, in June and July, 44 journalists faced torture, attacks, injuries, lawsuits, and harassment.

Additionally, since mid-July, the recent unrest has led to four journalist being killed, 35 injuries from shotgun pellets, and 224 other injuries from gunfire or attacks.

The report also documented that six people were killed extrajudicially, two died in custody, two were killed while fleeing law enforcement, and nine died in jail.

The report again indicated that nine people were killed and nine others injured in border incidents, with two also being tortured. Additionally, mob violence also claimed seven lives and left nine injured.

The monitoring report, signed by MSF Founding President Sultana Kamal, mentioned that the organisation condemns the rising rights violations and urges authorities to ensure political engagement, peaceful elections, voting rights, freedom of assembly, expression, and civic security.​

 

[Saif]

Protesters announce 'Remembering Our Heroes' programme for Thursday

The 'Anti-Discrimination Student Movement' has announced the "Remembering Our Heroes'' programme across the country for Thursday in commemoration of those killed and injured during the movement. Coordinator of the Movement Rifat Rashid announced this programme in a statement on Wednesday night. H

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

Protesters announce 'Remembering Our Heroes' programme for Thursday
DU CORRESPONDENT
Published :
Jul 31, 2024 20:55
Updated :
Jul 31, 2024 21:39

File Photo

The 'Anti-Discrimination Student Movement' has announced the "Remembering Our Heroes'' programme across the country for Thursday in commemoration of those killed and injured during the movement.

Coordinator of the Movement Rifat Rashid announced this programme in a statement on Wednesday night.

He called on all, especially, students, teachers, parents, intellectuals, professionals, workers, and businessmen, to participate in the programme and make it a success.

The statement, sent by Coordinator Rashid, provided some guidelines for commemorating the victims:

Those are:
​

• Recounting horrific days and nights of torture on students​
• Remembering those killed and injured, along with their families​
• Creating paintings, graffiti, wall writings, festoons and digital portraits depicting the incidents of torture​

The statement also called on all to campaign both offline and online in memory of the deceased, suggesting the use of hashtags
#JulyMassacre #RememberingOurHeroes for the online campaign.​