650 people were killed in student movement in Bangladesh: UN

Around 650 people were killed during protests and unrest in Bangladesh from July 16 to August 11, says a report released by the office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on Friday (August 16).

The ten-page report titled Preliminary Analysis of Recent Protests and Unrest in Bangladesh states that serious and credible allegations suggest security forces generally used unnecessary and disproportionate force in response to both the protests and the ensuing violence.

Between July 16 and August 4, nearly 400 deaths were reported, with around 250 additional fatalities occurring during the new wave of protests on August 5 and 6.

The casualties include protesters, bystanders, journalists covering the events, and several members of the security forces.

The 10-page report includes allegations of serious and credible human rights violations committed by Bangladeshi security forces.

According to the report, These casualties resulted from the use of firearms, including rubber bullets, sound grenades and lethal ammunition, indiscriminately against peaceful protests.

In response to the unrest, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Falkar Turk, has proposed 21 measures to restore peace in Bangladesh. These include punitive and criminal actions against law enforcement agencies and facilitating open dialogue to address social, economic, and political grievances, with the aim of benefiting all Bangladeshi citizens.