The government of Bangladesh is facing criticism from United Nations experts over its handling of mass protests that erupted earlier this month. The protests, led by students demanding reforms to the country’s quota system, turned violent and resulted in the deaths of over 150 protesters. The government has been accused of using excessive force and cracking down on demonstrators, leading to arrests and disruptions in the country.
In an exclusive interview with Al Jazeera, Bangladesh’s minister of state for information and broadcasting, Mohammad Arafat, defended the government’s actions, blaming “third-party” actors for escalating the unrest. He denied allegations that the government was responsible for the violence and insisted that they were working to bring back peace.
However, UN experts have called for an independent investigation into the government’s handling of the protests, citing human rights violations and the need for accountability. The experts have also called for the government to invite the UN to conduct a thorough investigation and hold perpetrators accountable.
The protesters have demanded that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina publicly apologize for the deaths of students and have called for the resignation of several government ministers. The protests have been suspended temporarily, but the situation remains tense as demonstrators consider whether to extend the pause further.
The government has yet to determine an official death toll from the protests and has promised to conduct an impartial investigation to ensure accountability for any casualties. Arafat also dismissed calls for the Prime Minister’s resignation, stating that she was only trying to protect the people.
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Photo credit www.aljazeera.com
