BANGLADESH UPDATE

May 2016

A Massacre at Motijeel
The 5th May March saw religious protesters flowing into Dhaka from all around the country for 13 points, which addressed matters of religious denigration and protections for all the faith communities of the country. It followed last months largely peaceful Long March which saw hundreds of thousands flock to Dhaka, which we covered in an earliAt 0230 am the security apparatus broke the night with its clearing operation, dispersing a sleeping crowd of hundreds of thousands with tear gas, gun fire and more primitive savagery. It would appear that the police, the disgraced rebranded Bangladesh Rifles and no shortage of armed Awami League thugs are primarily responsible for the killings that took place on Sunday and in the early hours of Monday. The extent of the media blackout is unprecedented in recent years. Opposition Diganta and Islamic TV channels were raided by the UK-trained Rapid Action Battalion. Mirroring the chilling accounts of the much remembered Operation Searchlight from the night of 25th March 1971 in which the Pakistan government lost much of its legitimacy, the government reportedly busied itself with carting away the evidence and the bodies. As the morning drew to noon, the events of the night met recognition even from elements of the secular liberal establishment. The BBC was reporting only seven dead well into the morning, and mirrored the government line of extremists and non lethal weaponry Sources from nearer to the suffering have given death tolls of 431 (religious scholars) , 1700 (Bashekella) and 2500 (a leak from CID). Does the scale of the operation suggest that the Bangladesh government must have got clearance from its international backers? As the situation becomes clearer, or more blurred, diplomats, newser article. This time around , the government gregated around the Water Lily monupaper editors and activists who provided the appeared to have resolved to meet Hefazat ment at the centre of the Motijeel district. mood music and misframing of Hefazat must with violence, both during and after the They set up for the night, firm in the convic- ask themselves searching questions about main days protest. There are blog-based tion that they would stay until their concerns their own humanity. Local human rights accounts of the protest from witnesses as with sufficiently addressed. The Bangladesh NGOs who interpret the Bangladeshi situawell as of the fateful clampdown. In the abNationalist Party, which has been on the tion to the world display selective humanitarsence of the conditions for traditional investi- sidelines of late with much of its leadership ianism by effectively ignoring the atrocity gative reporting we build a picture of what is in detention, announced its support. that took place last night. available. One informant, curious to see events for himself, late last night reported a war zone with the police firing and ruling party thugs being handed the wounded to beat. He reflected that what he saw resembled what he had heard about the Pakistan Army launching a crackdown on the Awami League 43 years ago. Perhaps Tiananmen Square and the Battle of Algiers help us to understand how state violence is inflicted on such a scale and nature. The protesters con-

Into the darkness

Dead body of a Hefajot worker lying down on the street of Dhaka

Dead body of another Hefajot Worker

RAB and Police operated a combined operation on Hefajot. A bullet wounded Hefajot worker lying on the floor.

Police Guarding the dead body of another Hefajot Worker.

RAB and Police operated a combined operation on Hefajot. A bullet wounded Hefajot worker lying on the floor.

Police Guarding the dead body of another Hefajot Worker.

This transport worker was killed by government holligans

This transport worker was killed by government holligans

This transport worker was killed by government holligans

This transport worker was killed by government holligans

This transport worker was killed by government holligans

This transport worker was killed by government holligans

This transport worker was killed by government holligans

This transport worker was killed by government holligans

This transport worker was killed by government holligans

This transport worker was killed by government holligans

This transport worker was killed by government holligans

BANGLADESH: A massacre of demonstrators

6 May, Asian Human Rights Commission: News reports from Bangladesh allege that a series of attacks on demonstrators have taken place, at (a provision similar to declaring internal emergency) in the city of Dhaka, under which more than four persons are not allowed to converge in public places by the state agencies. It appears that the international community stationed in Dhaka is fully aware of the brutal crackdown and the wanton extrajudicial execution happening within Dhaka and in the outskirts of the city. Graphic pictures and audiovisual records are available through the social media, from unverified sources, that reveal the deadly reality on the ground. It is reported that the security forces are using heavy artillery, which are normally used in the war fronts. Bangladesh, recently has become extremely violent. The violence surfaced over the issue of objectionable blog-postings concerning Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him). It is reported that a large number of protesters gathered in Dhaka since early morning yesterday, May 5, 2013, under the umbrella of a group named Fefazat-E-Islamdemanding punishment of the so called 'atheist bloggers', who allegedly remained under the protection of the state agents, for writing blasphemous materials. Fefazat -E-Islam has been demanding 13 points including a legislation on blasphemy, reformation of the country's 'women policy' and adoption of the name of Allah in the constitution. The AHRC does not agree with any of the demands made by the Fefazat-EIslam. Our concern, however, is for the right of everyone to participate in protests. At all times the sacredness of the right to life must be respected. The violence that is going on in Bangladesh must stop now. The international community has a moral as well as a legal obligation to intervene, which could save lives and could prevent the situation from deteriorating further. The United Nations must take all necessary actions, most importantly through the office of the Secretary General to bring an immediate end to the bloody impasse that has befallen upon the country.

Police beating a Hefajot Worker during its midnight action on the peaceful protesters.

around 3am today, May 6, 2013. The extent of the injuries and death is difficult to be ascertained at the moment. The Daily Star, a Bangladeshi newspaper, gave the figure of deaths as 5. However, several internet reports have mentioned that the number of deaths could be as high as 2,500 or more. Pictures of dead bodies have also been distributed over the internet. Major news channels in Bangladesh have been silenced. Two private television channels that were showing live pictures of the attacks upon the demonstrators were immediately closed down. The authorities have, later in the morning, imposed Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898,

and the declaration absolutely prohibits public protest. Worse, the executive authorities could use deadly force against civilians under this provision. All forms of public gatherings, rallies and protests have been prohibited until the midnight today, May 6. The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has learned that the security forces, including the Border Guards Bangladesh, the Rapid Action Battalion and the Police, started a massive crackdown on the demonstrators of the Fefazat-EIslam early morning on Monday. According to unverified information the AHRC has received, a huge number of lives have already been lost. Numerous victims have been shot at close range