BANGLADESH: JMBF Condemns the Violent Attacks on Peaceful Student Protestors by Chhatra League with Government Support

Paris, France; July 15, 2023: JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF) is deeply concerned about and strongly condemns the armed attacks, beatings, and sexual assaults on general students including female students by the Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL), an organization affiliated with the Bangladesh Awami League. These heinous acts, which occurred with direct government support, took place during the ongoing non-violent and peaceful democratic movement by ordinary students from various colleges and universities. The students are demanding reform of the existing quota system in government jobs. Furthermore, JMBF calls for the reformation of the current quota system to address the fair demands of the students and to re-fix quotas for backward sections of society at all levels of government employment.

According to reports published in various Bangladeshi newspapers, on July 15, 2024, during a peaceful protest by students of Dhaka University demanding quota reform, BCL leaders and activists ambushed the demonstrators around 3:00 PM in front of Vijay Ekatar Hall of Dhaka University. Subsequently, the Chhatra League attacked and beat up the protestors at several locations on the Dhaka University campus. At least 297 students from various educational institutions in the capital, including Dhaka University and Eden College, were injured. Among them, 12 seriously injured students are undergoing treatment at Dhaka Medical College Hospital, while others are receiving treatment at the hospital's outpatient department.

Additionally, in the Battala area of Jahangirnagar University this evening, around fifty BCL leaders and activists, led by BCL president Aktaruzzaman, attacked the protestors with native weapons, assaulted female students, and injured about fifty general students. Out of these, 20 students are receiving treatment at a private hospital in Savar. Many other students were injured in attacks by the Chhatra League on protesting students in different parts of the country. On July 11, at Comilla University, police, alongside Chhatra League members, attacked protesting students, resulting in injuries to about fifty students.

Advocate Shahanur Islam, founder and president of JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF), expressed strong anger over the brutal armed attacks, beatings, and desecration of women students by the Bangladesh Chhatra League with direct government support. He also called for ensuring high-quality physical and mental medical services for the injured students.

JMBF firmly believes that the brutal attack by the government on the peaceful democratic movement of ordinary students is unacceptable in a civilized society. Therefore, JMBF appeals to the government to avoid further attacks and violence and to resolve the issue through dialogue with the students.

Sincerely,

Advocate Shahanur Islam

Founder President 

JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF) 

Email: shahanur.islam@jmbf.org 

Cell: +33(0)783952315

============================================================ Advocate Shahanur Islam | An Young, Ascendant, Dedicated Human Rights Defender, Lawyer and Blogger from Bangladesh, Fighting for Ensuring Human Rights, Rule of Law, Good Governance, Peace and Social Justice For the Victim of Torture, Extra Judicial Killing, Force Disappearance, Trafficking in Persons including Ethnic, Religious, Sexual and Social Minority People.