The Coalition for Human Rights and Democracy in Bangladesh (CHRD Bangladesh) strongly condemns the rising death toll of student protestors and members of civil society in Bangladesh. The security forces, working with the student wing of the ruling Awami League known as the The Chattra League, have unleashed unprecedented and deadly violence on the protestors.

So far, the number of casualties released by the media is 174, but the reports on the ground from hospital emergency rooms suggest a much higher number.

The Bangladesh government’s “shoot at sight” order has caused indiscriminate killing of students and other members of civil society who have every right under international law and under the constitution of Bangladesh to protest and exercise their freedom of speech and expression. There have been media reports of blanket firing of civilian residential areas causing many casualties.

Furthermore, the complete media and telecommunication blackout, which the government claims has been put in place to avoid the spread of misinformation has been counterproductive. Bangladesh is now completely isolated from the rest of the world, making it almost impossible to corroborate what is actually happening on the ground.

It is also our belief that preventing people from being able to communicate with their families and loved ones at a time of profound political unrest is yet another form of extreme human rights violation being committed by the government of Bangladesh.

Lawmakers from the United States, Australia, Italy, Canada and other parts of the world have issued statements regarding the frustration and fear of their constituents within the Bangladeshi diaspora who have been unable to speak to their loved ones back home and inquire about their well being  for days.

It has also come to our attention that some of the student protesters have been picked up by government security forces and brutally beaten and tortured. This is a gross miscarriage of justice and human rights violation.

CHRD Bangladesh, along with many other human rights organizations and the international community has repeatedly urged the government of Bangladesh to respect international law. We remind the government of Bangladesh that under international law and by the articles of its own constitution, it is obliged to fully respect people’s fundamental rights of freedom of speech, freedom of expression and the freedom of peaceful assembly.

CHRD Bangladesh strongly urges the government of Bangladesh to uphold its obligations to international law and provide protection and security to peaceful protestors. We also strongly remind the government that Bangladesh is a signatory to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which stipulates clearly that “all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.”