Attacks on Bangladesh student protesters ‘shocking’: UN

GENEVA: UN human rights chief Volker Turk said Friday he was deeply concerned by this week’s violence in Bangladesh, calling the attacks on student protesters “shocking and unacceptable”.

“There must be impartial, prompt and exhaustive investigations into these attacks, and those responsible held to account,” Turk said in a statement.

The death toll in the ongoing protests reached 75 on Friday, according to an AFP count of victims from hospitals around the country.

The unrest has emerged as an unprecedented threat to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s autocratic government after 15 years in office.

Turk urged all sides to exercise restraint and called on the security forces to ensure any use of force is strictly in line with international human rights law.

“I am also very worried by reports about the deployment of paramilitary police units such as the Border Guard Bangladesh and the Rapid Action Battalion, which have long track records of violations,” he said.