DHAKA: Bangladeshi students who ousted former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina are calling for her return to face trial over the deadly violence that led to her removal and subsequent flee to India.
The protests began in early July, initially as peaceful demonstrations against the reinstatement of a quota system for civil service positions. However, within two weeks, the demonstrations were met with a violent crackdown by security forces.
UN estimates suggest that more than 600 people were killed in the ensuing violence, which sparked a nationwide uprising. By early August, the unrest forced Hasina to resign and flee to neighboring India after 15 years in power.
Nahid Islam, a 26-year-old sociology student at Dhaka University and coordinator of Students Against Discrimination, the main protest group, is now a prominent figure in Bangladesh’s interim government. He emphasized the public’s demand for Hasina to face justice in Bangladesh.
“The government and people of Bangladesh want Sheikh Hasina back in the country to face trial. There is a strong demand for her return and accountability,” Islam told Arab News on Monday evening.
Islam, who currently oversees the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology in the interim government, highlighted the administration’s commitment to cooperating with the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). The interim government, sworn in on August 8 and led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, includes student leaders like Islam and Asif Mahmud, who now heads the Ministry of Youth and Sports.
The OHCHR’s preliminary analysis of the unrest reveals that over 600 people were killed, though this number is likely an underestimate. Violations reported include extrajudicial killings, arbitrary arrests, enforced disappearances, torture, and severe restrictions on freedoms of expression and assembly. UN investigators arrived in Dhaka last week to initiate a probe.
“Once the investigation begins, we will be able to address whether Sheikh Hasina can be brought back to face trial,” Islam said. He outlined the interim government’s immediate goals, including holding those responsible for the violence accountable, rehabilitating victims, and implementing broad reforms.
The interim administration is focused on restructuring law enforcement, particularly the police, to rebuild public trust following recent violence. Addressing corruption, bureaucratic reforms, and amending restrictive laws are also priorities. Additionally, the banking sector is undergoing reform to tackle issues of looting and money laundering.
“Our objective is to create a new Bangladesh with a reformed political system. We are committed to achieving this through comprehensive state reforms,” Islam concluded.
