Debarati Guha, head of Deutsche Welle's Asia Department, in a recent commentary following her visit to Bangladesh, said the violence triggered by the quota reform movement could not have been carried out by students, pointing to a possible third-party involvement.
In an interview with Deutsche Welle aired on YouTube on Tuesday, Guha said the destruction of the Bangladesh Television archives had convinced her that it was not the work of ordinary students.
She said she believed a third party was involved, though she could not specify who, adding that it would eventually come out through investigation.
The protesters also claimed that they were not associated with such violence, she noted, remarking that it was unfortunate that a peaceful movement had gotten out of control.
When asked about the violence she had witnessed in Bangladesh and the current situation, Guha mentioned that Bangladesh was observing a national day of mourning on Tuesday. She went on to say there was a curfew in place, with some temporary relaxations, and demonstrations were still occurring in Dhaka and beyond.
She said that during her visit, she had gone to hospitals where many, including students, police officers and journalists, were being treated.
Guha said at least four journalists had been killed, and many, including one of DW’s own correspondents, had been injured.
She mentioned that she had to use a curfew pass to go outside, adding that Facebook and TikTok were still banned.
When asked about the reaction to the arrest of many protesters and the concern of their families, the journalist expressed hope that they would not be tortured in the name of remand.
Guha said she believed the government had made several mistakes in handling what had initially been a peaceful movement.
She noted that involving the student wing of the Awami League, Chhatra League, had been a mistake.
The police should have acted more humanely and should not have fired on protesters, especially students, she continued.
Moreover, the prime minister should have been more cautious about making statements that could spread confusion, Guha remarked.
