UN Accuses Former Bangladesh Government of Committing ‘Crimes against Humanity’
The United Nations accused Bangladesh’s former government of orchestrating systematic attacks and killings of protesters in a bid to retain power last year, warning that these actions could amount to “crimes against humanity.”
Before Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was overthrown in a student-led revolution last August, her administration violently suppressed protests, resulting in “hundreds of extrajudicial killings,” according to the UN.
The UN Human Rights Office stated it had “reasonable grounds to believe” that the government committed crimes against humanity, including murder, torture, unlawful imprisonment, and other inhumane acts.
These alleged offenses, carried out by the government, along with violent factions of the Awami League party and Bangladesh’s security and intelligence agencies, were part of “a widespread and systematic attack against protesters and civilians,” a UN report revealed.
Hasina, now 77, fled to neighboring India after the overthrow and has ignored an arrest warrant to face trial in Bangladesh for alleged crimes against humanity.
