Amnesty International (AI) has urged the Bangladesh government to immediately start an independent and impartial investigation into the use of force during clashes between protestors and law enforcers over the last few days.
“There’s considerable confusion about what really happened, and why the deaths occurred. There must urgently be an immediate independent and impartial investigation into the events, including the police’s use of force. The perpetrators must be brought to justice,” said AI’s Polly Truscott, Asia-Pacific deputy director, on the human rights (HR) organisations’ website.
Hefazat-e-Islam supporters clashed with police in Dhaka and elsewhere in Bangladesh on May 5 and in the early hours the next day, reports the HR watchdog, adding police in Bangladesh “remained silent about the deaths on May 6”.
At a press briefing yesterday, Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Benazir Ahmed stressed on the use of non-lethal weapons when police moved in to disperse activists entrenched at Motijheel’s Shapla Chattar on Monday. He said there were no casualties as a result of the police move, but admits there were 11 recorded deaths in related unrests elsewhere.
Hefazat alleges the death toll due the police drive in Motijheel is as high as 2500 – 3000. The police commissioner rejects their claims, and clarified, “Families of victims would have rushed to Dhaka to claim the bodies if the figure was so high.”
Amnesty’s unofficial figure obtained from hospitals is 22 deaths, which it says is consistent with figures reported in the local media. It attributes an estimated 41 deaths across Bangladesh related to Hefazat’s protests, including three law enforcement personnel.
“This is an extremely volatile situation and there is still a risk of further violence. All law enforcement personnel must abide by international law enforcement standards and ensure that they do not use excessive force in dealing with the protesters,” Truscott stated.
Adding, “Firearms should be used by the police to the minimum extent necessary to defend themselves or others against an imminent threat of death or serious injury. They are a last resort, and should only be used when less extreme means are insufficient to achieve these objectives.”
Amnesty describes Hefazat-e-Islam on its website as a relatively new religious group, composed mainly of madrassa students and teachers, adding Hefazat’s 13-point demand includes restrictions on women, laws against blasphemy, and capital punishment for insulting Islam.