SALEEM SAMAD
The helms of affairs of government and security agencies during the rage of countrywide student protests in the last seven days, in panic, overreacted. The advisers who are small ‘g’ gods of lesser version hurriedly advised the authorities to clamp down with an indefinite curfew and blackout of the internet to contain the student’s protest, which local rioters joined.
PROTEST TURNS BLOODY
There is no denying that excessive force by law enforcement agencies in streets battling the protesters has shot and killed more than 200 in five days, according to an independent newspaper Prothom Alo. The situation remains calm in all the hotspots.
Another thousand were wounded and maimed. They are groaning and moaning in pain, agony, trauma and aftershock lying in hospital beds. Nearly 700 innocent passersby caught in between the conflict inflicted wounds on their eyes from shotgun pellets randomly fired by riot police. Eye surgeons operated upon 278 with pellet wounds.
HELMET BAHINI
The hundreds of dead and wounded took a direct hit from riot police backed by “Helmet Bahini” a hooliganism wing of Chattra League and Juba League of ruling Awami League battling student protesters.
The ‘Helmet Bahini’ was the second line of defence, besides the police to protect the Awami League leaders to counter the agitators. The armed hooligans after the face-off with the protesters had their anger ventilated and made them run for their lives from the campus dormitories in different universities.
Scores of ruling party students and youth members also known as “Golden Boys” had to publicly admit they had resigned from Chattra League in allegiance with the legitimate student protests. The posts on Facebook went viral on social media.
CRACKDOWN
In a crackdown, police arrested and detained nearly 1500 suspects. Among them are shopkeepers, delivery boys, returning home from work, and of course bystanders. Police in their dragnet have hardly been able to arrest the looters, rioters, and hooliganism.
Well, the police arrested scores of leaders from the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and Islamist party Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) blaming them for instigating the riots in a bid to topple the government.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has squarely blamed BNP and JeI for vandalism and arson causing havoc on government Key Points Installations (KPIs), including two stations of Metro Rail, a pride of Hasina’s mega project. The Shetu Bhaban, houses the Bangladesh Bridge Authority, Bangladesh Road Transport Authority building and several other government buildings.
The government claims that the widespread destruction was pre-planned by the opposition and terrorists, which had planned to destabilise the government—a valid argument for a curfew and shutdown of the internet to foil the plan.
Dr Asif Nazrul, a law professor at Dhaka University in an OpEd urged the government to provide at least one evidence of opposition and Islamist conspiracy, which was foiled.
TIMELINE
The student protests which began on 1 July marched from the Dhaka University campus. The following days the students blocked the Shahbag Square, where historic protests were held and the government accepted the demands in the past.
The apex court on 4 July did not support the High Court verdict that invalidated the 2018 circular on cancellation of quota.
From 5 July, the protest spread to other university campuses and blocked roads and highways in their call for reforms of quota for government jobs.
Soon the road blockade was joined by private universities and also colleges of the country.
On 10 July, the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court imposed a status quo on quota for four weeks. Demand to reform quota system for government recruitments under all grades.
Awami League general secretary Obaidul Quader said the quota protesters are flexing muscle against the highest court of the country, which is unwarranted and illegal.
He made a stern warning if the protesters do not stand down, the Chattra League is prepared to face the agitators. While the Home boss Asaduzzaman Kamal said the protesters are ‘crossing their limits’.
Soon the ‘Helmet Bahini’ brutally attacked the student protesters in the Dhaka University campus with batons, metal bars, hockey sticks, and firearms.
COMPLETE BLOCKADE
In the following day, the students in protest of attacks on their comrades called for a nationwide road blockade, and boycott of classes and class exams in all universities. Tens of thousands of students poured into street intersections in all major cities and towns. The country came to a standstill, despite police obstruction in different places.
The movement by the new generation of students in our public and private universities for the reform of quotas was to ensure equal opportunities for all in our society and to obtain representation in government service.
Barrister Sara Hossain, a human rights lawyer in an OpEd “Bring those who ordered the excessive use of force to account” in an independent newspaper the Daily Star writes regarding the death of students and youths, “This has to be brought to account through a process that is independent, impartial, and effective. We need to see not only those who shot directly at the protesters and others but also those who ordered the firing to be brought to account.”
POLICE BRUTALITY
The blood spilt in the streets has itself turned into violence against the citizens of the country. Coupled with thousands of wounded reported in media has caused irksome among tens of thousands of ‘mango people’.
For the first time, Bangladesh witnessed that sound grenade and tear gas shells were charged from hovering helicopters. The flying machines are owned by the anti-crime force Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and the police.
RIGHTS GROUP
Prime Minister Hasina, who won a fourth consecutive term after January elections that were not free or fair, had previously imposed and then withdrawn the quota. She has called for dialogue and promised an inquiry into the July 15 deaths. Educational institutions have been closed indefinitely, according to a statement issued by New York-based Human Rights Watch (HRW).
On July 21, the Supreme Court, hearing an appeal from the government, ruled to reduce the quota in government jobs, allocating 5 per cent for descendants of independence war veterans and 2 per cent for other categories, reads the HRW statement.
“Bangladesh has been troubled for a long time due to unfettered security force abuses against anyone who opposes the Sheikh Hasina government, and we are witnessing that same playbook again, this time to attack unarmed student protesters,” said Meenakshi Ganguly, deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch. “Now is the time for influential governments to press Sheikh Hasina to stop her forces from brutalizing students and other protesters.”
PARLEYS
Hasina earlier had parleys with business leaders at her official residence Gono Bhaban. The worried business leaders urged the government to withdraw the curfew to enable the opening of the industries. They also urged the authorities to restore the internet as soon as possible.
On Wednesday, Hasina held a courtesy dialogue with the pro-government editors and senior journalists under the banner of Editors Guild.
She had no remorse for the dead students and others’ blood spilt from police brutalities.
TRAGEDY
Shafkat Samir (11), a fifth-grade student, was closing a window of his home to stay safe from the rampant firing of tear gas shells during massive clashes at Kafrul in the city’s Mirpur area on Friday afternoon. In the blink of an eye, a bullet pierced his head, entering through his eye and killing him instantly.
Later the harassment and legal threats by law enforcement officers, Samir’s father Sakibur followed their advice and signed a form stating that “I have no complaints over the incident, and I don’t want to file a case. After taking my son’s body, I will go to bury it.”. The form also says “I followed the police’s suggestion and convinced Sakibur to sign a letter stating that he had no complaints and would not file a case.”
First published in Northeast News, Guwahati, India on 25 July 2024
Saleem Samad is an award-winning independent journalist based in Bangladesh. A media rights defender with the Reporters Without Borders (@RSF_inter). Recipient of Ashoka Fellowship and Hellman-Hammett Award. He could be reached at saleemsamad@hotmail.com; Twitter: @saleemsamad
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