As a Bangladeshi living through the recent student protests over quota reform, I have witnessed firsthand the government's desperate attempts to control the narrative and suppress dissent. The protests, which began as a genuine expression of student grievances, have been met with heavy-handed tactics and a barrage of disinformation from those in power. Every day, I live in fear of being picked up by the police or seeing my friends and family members disappear, never to be seen again.
Government Disinformation and Absurd Claims
The government's efforts to discredit the protesters are relentless. Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud has repeatedly claimed that students are being manipulated by external forces. He said, "Those who killed PS of Gazipur ex-mayor Jahangir and police in Dhaka, those who hanged their bodies, threw BCL activists from the six-storey building in Chattogram, burnt public and private properties will not be spared. I have seen the footage of vandalism and arson on BTV. Those who carried out these attacks will not be spared from legal action." This assertion is not only implausible but also frightening, as it suggests a level of incompetence within the government. It feels like a smokescreen, designed to shift the blame away from the authorities and onto some imagined external threat.
Moreover, Hasan Mahmud has claimed that the police officers and other government forces seen using brute force against students are actually henchmen of other political parties masquerading as the police. This claim is absurd and terrifying.
It implies that opposition forces have the resources and organization to impersonate government officials on a massive scale. If this were true, it would indicate a profound failure of the government's security apparatus. But the evidence I see around me shows that it is the government forces themselves who are responsible for the violence against students.
The government's narrative insists it is our friend, committed to ensuring we get the "justice" we deserve. However, actions speak louder than words.
The aggressive measures to suppress the protests, including arrests, house raids, and intimidation, starkly contradict their professed commitment to student welfare. Mahmud stated, "Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has assured that no student will be harassed. But you need to remain careful so that no one can use you for their ill motive and purposes." These words ring hollow when so many of us are living in constant fear.
Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader echoed similar sentiments, stating that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will take responsibility for the families of those killed in the unrest. "A committee has been formed for investigation and every culprit will be brought to book," he said. However, he also blamed BNP-Jamaat for the violence, claiming they carried out arson and vandalism to destabilize the nation. It's hard to trust these assurances when I see my peers being dragged from their homes in the dead of night.
The authorities have ramped up surveillance efforts, with officers checking people's phones on the streets and making random threat calls. This constant monitoring creates an atmosphere of fear and paranoia, discouraging people from participating in protests or even expressing dissent.
Under the cover of night, government forces have been conducting house raids in various areas of Dhaka, particularly targeting student residences near universities such as BRAC, NSU, and IUB.
Students are arrested on false charges and sent to jail the next morning. These raids feel like something out of a dystopian novel, designed to instill fear and prevent further participation in the movement.
Nahid Islam, Asif Mahmud, and Abu Baker Majumder, key organizers of the Anti-discrimination Student Movement, were forcibly taken from a hospital in Dhaka by plainclothes men. Their fate remains uncertain, and their families are left in anguish. This could easily happen to anyone I know, or even to me.
Moreover, the authorities have also targeted homes of current or former opposition party members, vandalizing properties, stealing valuables, and arresting individuals. This tactic is designed to suppress any potential support for the student movement from political opponents. There are numerous reports of people being abducted by government forces, with families left in the dark about the whereabouts of their loved ones. This tactic not only terrorizes families but also serves as a warning to others who might consider joining the protests.
Protest leaders who have been injured in the violence are being held in hospitals under tight security, effectively silencing them while they receive treatment. This cynical tactic ensures that prominent voices of the movement are kept out of the public eye.
For instance, despite Nahid and Asif's health conditions, they were taken from Gonoshasthaya Nagar Hospital in Dhanmondi by unidentified men, further illustrating the oppressive measures employed by the government.
The government's heavy-handed response to the student protests is not just an isolated incident but part of a broader pattern of repression and control. The use of intimidation, surveillance, and violence reflects a regime that is deeply insecure about its grip on power. By suppressing dissent and stifling the voices of young people, the government is undermining the democratic principles it claims to uphold. Moreover, these actions have far-reaching consequences for the future of Bangladesh. The widespread fear and distrust generated by the government's tactics create a toxic environment that stifles free expression and civic engagement. The disillusionment of the youth, who are the future leaders of the country, can lead to long-term social and political instability.
As the government continues to spin the narrative and suppress the student protests, it is crucial for the international community and local civil society organizations to stand in solidarity with us. The bravery of the students in the face of such repression is a testament to their commitment to justice and democracy. It is imperative that our voices are heard and that the government's tactics of fear and intimidation are exposed and condemned. The future of Bangladesh depends on the ability of its people to speak out against injustice and demand accountability from those in power.
In a recent interview with Al Jazeera's "Talk to Al Jazeera," Muhammad Arafat, Bangladesh's Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting, attempted to address the concerns surrounding the protests. However, his responses raised more questions than they answered. Arafat emphasized that the government was still determining the exact number of casualties and attributed initial internet shutdowns to the need to curb rumors and prevent further violence. He described the protesters as "miscreants" and "terrorists," suggesting involvement of third-party actors with ulterior motives.
Arafat repeatedly referred to the involvement of third-party groups, including terrorists and anarchists, in exacerbating the violence. He cited incidents such as a jailbreak that led to the escape of 826 prisoners and the looting of firearms from government facilities. This narrative aimed to shift blame away from the government and onto these unnamed third parties, though the Al Jazeera presenter pressed Arafat on the lack of substantiated evidence.
Arafat defended the government's inability to provide an accurate casualty count by stating that they wanted to ensure the accuracy of the figures before releasing them.
He mentioned the formation of an independent judicial committee to investigate the events, headed by a senior justice from the Supreme Court's Appellate Division. However, doubts remain about the effectiveness of such a committee in a highly politicized environment.
The Supreme Court's decision to abolish the quota system played a central role in the protests. Arafat explained that the government had challenged the High Court's judgment to restore the 2018 circular abolishing the quota. Despite this alignment with students' demands, the government's failure to quickly address the High Court's decision and effectively communicate its actions contributed to the escalation of the protests.
When challenged on whether the government had politicized the situation to undermine its political opponents, Arafat denied these allegations, pointing to past incidents involving extremist groups to support his claims. However, the presenter's skepticism reflected broader concerns about the government's ability to manage the crisis effectively.
How the Government is Downplaying the Death of Abu Sayed
The tragic case of Abu Sayed, a student at Begum Rokeya University, further exemplifies the severity of the situation. Sayed was killed during a protest on July 16, with video footage showing he was not a threat to the police. Yet, police fired at him, leading to his death. The police's First Information Report (FIR) claimed Sayed was not killed by police bullets, attributing his death to gunfire and brick-throwing from other directions. This discrepancy between the video evidence and the police report has sparked outrage and further distrust of the authorities.
Amnesty International verified two videos showing police officers directly firing at Sayed with 12-gauge shotguns, even as he clutched his chest and fell to the ground. The forensic report confirmed that Sayed died from internal bleeding caused by shotgun pellet injuries, contradicting the police's narrative.
Despite this, the FIR accused BNP and Jamaat-Shibir activists, along with unidentified individuals, of being responsible for the violence.
Human rights activist Nur Khan Liton criticized the police's actions, calling the shooting a cold-blooded murder and questioning the justification for using lethal force against unarmed protesters. He highlighted the issue of political loyalty within the police force, which undermines the rule of law and accountability.
Hollow Promises and Aggressive Measures
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's visit to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) to see the injured further highlights the ongoing tension. While her visit and assurances of proper treatment for the injured were meant to show concern, it also served as a reminder of the government's need to control the narrative. Hasina reiterated the need for punishment of the perpetrators of the violence, blaming BNP and Jamaat for taking advantage of the quota movement.
During a televised statement, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina acknowledged the death of student Abu Sayed but focused primarily on the casualties and injuries suffered by government and Chhatra League members.
She described the brutal treatment of law enforcement and the destruction of property, emphasizing the government's commitment to restoring order and providing proper treatment for the injured. However, her statements often seemed to overshadow the core issues driving the protests, focusing instead on portraying the government as a victim of orchestrated violence.
In an emotionally charged statement, she recounted the violence inflicted on government forces: "One person was shot dead by the police in Rangpur. He is also a son to someone, so his death is regrettable. We have made arrangements for everything. In Chittagong, people were thrown from six stories high, and the police were beaten and kept under control. The pilot of my motorcade was burned, and fire was set inside houses. The police came to rescue the situation, but were attacked in Chittagong. People were thrown from six stories high, and those trying to save their lives held onto window grills. The police car was attacked, and inside, RAB officers were killed in Gazipur, where another worker was not only beaten but also taken to the hospital, where he was dragged out and left on the road to be stabbed to death. My motorcade’s pilot on the motorcycle, who usually stayed in Jatrabari, was ambushed while he was on his way to work. He was thrown to the ground, beaten, and nowhere to be found."
These accounts, while harrowing, serve to shift the focus from the legitimate grievances of the protesters to the violent reprisals faced by government forces and institutions. The Prime Minister's emphasis on the destruction of property and attacks on law enforcement aims to paint the protests as an anarchic movement rather than a fight for justice and reform. By highlighting the violence against state institutions and personnel, the government seeks to justify its heavy-handed response and deflect attention from the underlying issues that sparked the protests.
Repeating History
In tracing the trajectory of the Bangladesh government, it is starkly evident how it has, paradoxically, embraced the very practices it once fervently opposed. This transformation is emblematic of a regime entrapped in the nostalgia of its formative years, repeating historical cycles under the guise of governance and national security.
During the struggle for independence from Pakistan, the Pakistani armed forces were notorious for their oppressive methods. One particularly harrowing strategy was their door-to-door searches, aimed at rooting out and exterminating freedom fighters and suppressing dissent. These actions entrenched fear among the populace and aimed to dismantle the burgeoning spirit of independence and self-determination.
Fast forward to the present day, the echoes of that oppressive regime resonate hauntingly. The Bangladesh armed officers now conduct similar operations, going door-to-door, but this time in a bid to quash protesters and stifle any form of dissent.
This stark mimicry of the past, under a government born out of a desire for freedom and justice, is indeed ironic and troubling.
In this charged atmosphere, ensuring that all legal actions are conducted transparently and impartially is crucial to maintaining public order and trust in the justice process. As Bangladesh navigates this turbulent period, it is essential for the government to commit to democratic principles and foster an environment where grievances can be aired and addressed without fear of repression.
The international community and local civil society must continue to advocate for the rights of protesters and demand accountability from the authorities. The future stability and democratic health of Bangladesh depend on the ability of its citizens to freely express their concerns and engage in meaningful dialogue with those in power.
