In 2024, Bangladesh has witnessed one of its most intense student protests in recent history. The movement, primarily driven by demands for quota reform, has seen students across the nation rallying for justice and equity. However, these protests have been met with severe police brutality, a phenomenon that is not new in the context of Bangladesh's political and social landscape. This article delves into the history of police brutality in Bangladesh, the recent events that have brought this issue to the forefront, and the reasons behind the emboldened actions of the police.
The Context
As a Bangladeshi, witnessing the events of the 2024 student protests has been nothing short of harrowing. The brazenness with which police officers have carried out acts of brutality is both terrifying and infuriating.
When I heard about Inspector Apurba Hasan's callous remark, "I’ve killed him, now what will you do?" after shooting a protester, it felt like a punch to the gut. The sheer audacity of that statement highlights a deeply rooted problem within our law enforcement system – a complete lack of accountability and humanity.
It's not just the killing itself that is horrifying; it's the attitude that follows. The fact that an officer can so nonchalantly admit to killing an innocent protester and challenge us with "now what will you do?" speaks volumes about the culture of impunity that pervades our police force. It's as if they are untouchable, free to act without any fear of repercussions.
Inspector Hasan's history only adds to the outrage. From 2013 to 2018, while serving as the OC at Benapole Port, he reportedly confiscated gold worth crores from smugglers and amassed an enormous fortune. This paints a picture of a man who has thrived in a system rife with corruption and abuse of power. His rise to infamy didn't happen overnight; it was cultivated through years of operating in an environment where such behavior was not only tolerated but perhaps even encouraged.
Our government's use of excessive force against peaceful student protesters shows their determination to silence dissent. The hundreds of injuries and fatalities are not just statistics; they represent lives shattered and futures stolen. Families are mourning the loss of their children, while others grapple with the trauma of seeing their loved ones brutalized for simply exercising their right to protest.
One of the first student protesters to die was Abu Sayed, whose death sparked further outrage and intensified the protests. Amnesty International has strongly condemned the killing of Abu Sayed and the attacks against quota reform protesters across the country. Witness testimonies, video, and photographic evidence analyzed and authenticated by Amnesty International and its Crisis Evidence Lab confirm the use of unlawful force by the police against student protesters. Further witness testimonies confirm the continuation of a multi-year pattern of violence against protesters, allegedly committed by members of the Bangladesh Chatra League (BCL), a group affiliated with the ruling party.
Eyewitnesses that Amnesty International spoke with said that the protests were entirely peaceful before individuals from the BCL started attacking them on 15 July. They claimed to have identified BCL members coming out of multiple residential halls in Dhaka University, particularly the Surja Sen and Bijoy Ekattor halls, armed with rods, sticks, and clubs, with a few even brandishing revolvers. The description of the violence against protesters is consistent with that previously documented by Amnesty International in 2023. Amnesty International has verified videos of students being attacked on the streets and inside hospitals which corroborate the witness accounts.
Rima*, a master’s student at Dhaka University, was one of the protesters who came under a second round of attacks at the Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH), where they were seeking treatment for their injuries. She said: “The police were there in the hospital – [yet] the BCL came into the emergency department and started attacking us again… The State launched the Chatra League against us… every time we rise up, be it the protests of 2018 or 2023 – it is used as a force to crush us.” Witnesses shared that a 22-year-old first-year student at Dhaka University was found lying on the street while “vomiting incessantly and struggling to breathe.” His white shirt had become completely drenched in blood. The witness said: “We recovered his phone from his pocket which was completely smashed into pieces. Imagine the kind of force it needs to break a phone into pieces while it’s inside someone’s pocket.”
In two videos verified by Amnesty International, at least two police officers discharged 12-gauge shotguns directly towards Abu Sayed from across the street. Sayed clutched his chest on impact as officers fired at least two more times.
Amnesty International used satellite imagery to geolocate the positions of Sayed and the police officers and found that they were at a distance of about 15 meters during the shooting. Sayed posed no apparent physical threat to the police.
Sayed’s death certificate states he was ‘brought dead’ to the hospital. Derrick Pounder, an independent forensic pathologist who examined photos of the wounds to Sayed’s chest, told Amnesty International that the wounds are consistent with birdshot. Amnesty International considers the use of birdshot to be absolutely inappropriate for law enforcement and it should never be used in the policing of protest.
Continued Crackdown and Communications Shutdown
The 2024 protests have seen an alarming escalation in state violence and repression. Bangladeshi authorities have continued to use unlawful force against student protesters amid six days of shutdown and communication restrictions during the quota-reform protest across the country. Nationwide internet access was partially restored on 23 July after six days of complete shutdown amidst a volatile period marked by crackdown on protesters, the deployment of the army, a curfew, and the issuing of shoot-on-sight orders. The limited information coming out of the country has been an impediment to human rights monitoring. Amnesty International has responded to the evolving situation through verification and analysis of available video and photographic evidence. Amnesty International and its Crisis Evidence Lab have verified videos of three incidents of unlawful use of lethal and less lethal weapons by law enforcement agencies while policing the protests.
On 18 July, videos surfaced on social media of a protester, later identified as Shykh Aashhabul Yamin, a student at the Military Institute of Science and Technology, who was reportedly injured and killed during clashes with police officers at a protest near a bus station in Savar, near the capital Dhaka.
The first video shows an Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) driving down the Dhaka-Aricha Highway with Yamin’s unconscious body on top. A second video shows an officer attempting to lift Yamin’s body by the arms while another officer grabs him by the legs and violently yanks his body down off the vehicle, causing Yamin’s head to hit the pavement as his body falls.
The final video begins with two officers in full riot gear stepping out of the APC and seemingly looking down at Yamin’s body on the ground in front of them. Eventually, the officers pull Yamin from the ground and drag his body over the road’s median barriers, dropping him on the other side next to another group of officers. Eventually, the APC drives away leaving Yamin’s body on the road. News reports claim that Yamin died later that day from his injuries.
In the three videos verified by Amnesty International, none of the 12 officers visible attempted to provide medical aid to Yamin. Section 5(c) of the United Nations Basic Principle on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials requires law enforcement officials to ensure that assistance and medical aid are rendered to any injured or affected persons at the earliest possible moment. Derrick Pounder, an independent forensic pathologist who examined photographic evidence of the wounds to Yamin’s chest, told Amnesty International that the cause of his death could reasonably be presumed to have been due to the birdshot pellet injuries to the left front chest visible on his body. Amnesty International considers the use of birdshot to be absolutely inappropriate for law enforcement and it should never be used in the policing of protest.
In another video posted on 18 July, an officer fires tear gas through a closed gate at BRAC University in Dhaka where violent clashes took place between police and student protestors. A video filmed from inside the university suggests that a crowd of student protesters was gathered on the other side of an enclosed courtyard as the Bangladeshi Police officer fired into the crowds through the university gates. In these videos, verified by Amnesty International, the actions of the police officer clearly constitute unlawful and unnecessary use of force. Law enforcement must never fire tear gas into an enclosed space with no obvious means of escape from the effects of chemical irritant. Local news reports claim that at least 30 people suffered injuries due to the use of tear gas on BRAC University’s campus.
A video clip circulating on social media since 20 July shows an officer firing an AK-pattern assault rifle during the protests. The seven-second video verified by Amnesty International was filmed in front of a bank on DIT Road in the Rampura neighborhood of Dhaka. It shows several officers from the Bangladesh Police and Border Guard Bangladesh standing alongside an APC. One of the officers points a Chinese type 56-1 assault rifle towards off-screen targets and fires two rounds. Firearms are not an appropriate tool for the policing of assemblies; they must only be used when strictly necessary to confront an imminent threat of death or serious injury.
Historical Context of Police Brutality in Bangladesh
Police brutality is not a new phenomenon in Bangladesh. The history of law enforcement in the country is marred by numerous instances of excessive use of force, often driven by political motivations. During the 1971 Liberation War, the police played a controversial role, with allegations of brutality and extrajudicial actions that have since been mythologized or downplayed in official narratives.
One significant instance of past police brutality occurred at midnight on May 26, 2018, when Ekramul Haque, an elected council member in Cox’s Bazar’s Teknaf municipality, was executed by the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB). Haque, who had left home three hours earlier, was in custody when he managed to pick up at least four calls from his family.
The RAB, an elite police unit, is estimated to have killed more than 1,100 people between 2004 and 2020. Haque’s killing and preceding moments were captured in calls recorded on his wife Ayesha Begum’s phone.
After his death, the RAB produced a typical press release, claiming that Haque had been killed in a supposed gunfight during a drug raid, labeling him a top drug dealer and “yaba godfather.” However, Haque’s family, political colleagues, and locals strongly contest these claims.
Begum called a press conference and released the recordings, proving her husband was murdered. The only news outlet that shared them was the Daily Star, causing an uproar on social media. The Bangladeshi authorities responded by trying to cover it up, blocking the Daily Star’s website. Haque’s case has become central to conversations about extrajudicial executions in Bangladesh, yet not a single RAB official was punished or reprimanded for their roles in his killing. The impunity for the RAB ended on December 10, 2021, when the U.S. Treasury imposed unprecedented economic sanctions against current and former RAB leaders, including the current chief of police, for gross human rights violations.
How the Elite Police Force RAB Terrorizes the People of Bangladesh
A DW documentary titled "How the Elite Police Force RAB Terrorizes the People of Bangladesh" sheds light on the notorious activities of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), a special unit of the Bangladesh police accused of severe human rights violations. The documentary starts with a chilling phone call recording that reveals the murder of Akramul Haque, a victim of RAB’s extrajudicial actions.
Akramul Haque was taken by RAB, a unit known for kidnappings, torture, and murder. The recorded phone call captures his final moments, exposing RAB’s brutality. This incident was the first time their violence was recorded on tape, providing direct evidence of their actions. DW and Netra News investigated the case, uncovering detailed accounts from victims and two RAB insiders who confirmed the systematic nature of these crimes.
RAB was formed in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks and during the US-led "war on terror" to combat a surge in terrorism in Bangladesh. It comprises police and military personnel, trained and equipped with the advice and support of the US and British governments.
Despite their initial purpose, RAB has been accused of human rights violations from its inception. The unit has over 13,000 members and has been involved in numerous extrajudicial killings under the guise of combating terrorism and crime.
The documentary highlights how RAB systematically targets individuals, often treating them as mere objects rather than human beings with families and lives. The process includes monitoring the victim, staging extrajudicial killings, and covering up the murders to appear as legitimate shootouts. Victims are often tortured before being killed, and their deaths are disguised as encounters with criminals. RAB’s operations are meticulously planned and executed to leave no evidence, yet the systematic nature of their procedures creates distinct patterns that reveal their involvement.
Two former RAB commanders provided unprecedented testimonies about the inner workings of the unit. They described how extrajudicial killings are carried out, the use of torture, and the competition among RAB teams to score points for the number of operations conducted.
These insiders revealed that most victims are not killed instantly but left to bleed to death, with the murder being covered up as a shootout. Their accounts were cross-checked and corroborated with other evidence, providing a comprehensive picture of RAB’s operations.
The documentary also explores the political complicity in RAB’s actions. Despite numerous allegations and evidence of human rights abuses, the Bangladesh government has consistently denied any wrongdoing and refused to acknowledge the need for investigations. The involvement of high-ranking officials, including the Prime Minister, in approving RAB’s operations suggests a deep-rooted system of impunity. This political protection allows RAB to operate with near-total impunity, using their special powers to circumvent the legal system and commit crimes.
In December 2021, the US imposed sanctions on RAB and several of its officials for their involvement in gross human rights violations, including the extrajudicial killing of Akramul Haque. These sanctions had a significant impact, leading to a noticeable decrease in the number of killings. However, the sanctions targeted only a few high-ranking officials, leaving many others unpunished. Despite the reduction in killings, RAB continues to commit human rights abuses, and the political environment suggests that these activities may escalate as the next general elections approach.
The families of RAB’s victims, such as those involved in the organization Mayer Daak (Mother's Call), continue to fight for justice. These families face continuous harassment from law enforcement agencies, but they remain determined to hold the government accountable.
Denials and Propaganda
Benazir Ahmed, the incumbent Inspector General of the Bangladesh Police, expressed shock at the US government sanctions against him and the RAB, claiming the decision was based on “distorted information” and propaganda involving “lies, falsehood, and deceit.”
In an interview with Ekattor TV, Ahmed defended the actions of RAB and denied the allegations of human rights violations. He asserted that US politicians had been influenced by long-term efforts of “anti-state forces” in Bangladesh. Despite widespread allegations of serious human rights abuses, including over 600 disappearances and nearly 600 extrajudicial killings since 2018, Ahmed insisted that RAB officers complied with the law and were held accountable if they did not.
Ahmed questioned the US Treasury's claim that Bangladesh's anti-narcotics campaign threatened US national security interests. He denied that enforced disappearances took place, dismissing reports as “customized based on some sort of wish-list.” Ahmed's stance reflects the Bangladeshi authorities' consistent denial of serious human rights violations, leading to a climate of impunity.
Government Patronage and Police Impunity
The police in Bangladesh operate under a system heavily influenced by political patronage. This patronage ensures that law enforcement officials who carry out the government's bidding are often shielded from accountability. The current administration under Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been particularly criticized for its use of the police to suppress dissent and opposition.
Police officers often receive protection from the highest levels of government. This protection guarantees that officers who engage in brutality are rarely held accountable, fostering a sense of impunity. There is a significant lack of independent oversight bodies to monitor police conduct. The existing mechanisms are often controlled by the government, rendering them ineffective. Over the years, a culture of impunity has developed within the police force. Officers believe they can act without fear of repercussions, leading to widespread abuse of power. The judiciary in Bangladesh is often slow and inefficient, with cases of police misconduct dragging on for years without resolution. This inefficiency further emboldens police officers to act with impunity.
The Way Forward
Addressing police brutality in Bangladesh requires a multifaceted approach. Establishing independent bodies to oversee police conduct and investigate instances of brutality is crucial. These bodies should be free from political influence and have the power to take swift action against offending officers. Reforms within the judiciary to ensure timely and effective justice for victims of police brutality are essential. This includes fast-tracking cases related to police misconduct and ensuring that justice is served. Police officers should receive regular training on human rights and the ethical use of force. Additionally, a robust accountability mechanism must be in place to deter misconduct. Raising public awareness about their rights and the proper conduct of law enforcement can empower citizens to demand better policing practices.
The student protests of 2024 have once again highlighted the deep-rooted issue of police brutality in Bangladesh. The history of law enforcement in the country is fraught with instances of excessive force and political manipulation. To move forward, it is imperative for Bangladesh to undertake significant reforms to ensure that the police serve the public with integrity and respect for human rights. Only then can the nation hope to build a just and equitable society where the rule of law prevails.
