The UN will send a team of experts to Bangladesh next week to investigate the killings of protesters that occurred before and after Sheikh Hasina’s resignation as Prime Minister last week, officials announced on Thursday. This mission marks the first time since Bangladesh’s independence in 1971 that the UN has initiated a fact-finding mission to investigate widespread human rights abuses in the country, according to a UN official. The Chief Adviser of the Government of Bangladesh confirmed this information in a post on X.
Muhammad Yunus took the oath as the Chief Adviser of the interim government on August 8, following the collapse of Sheikh Hasina’s government and her subsequent flight to India on August 5 amid violent protests over quota reforms for government jobs.
“The United Nations will send a fact-finding team next week to probe atrocities committed during the Student Revolution in July and early August,” the Chief Adviser of Bangladesh announced. This move was initiated after UN human rights chief Volker Türk called Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus late on Wednesday.
Bangladesh descended into chaos last week after Sheikh Hasina’s departure, with the Army stepping in to fill the power vacuum on August 5. The anti-government protests, which began in mid-July, have resulted in the deaths of more than 500 people. The protests started over a government job quota for Liberation War veterans and their descendants, morphing into a wider movement against Hasina’s government.
Meanwhile, Türk assured Yunus of his support and emphasized that an inclusive, human rights-centered approach will be essential for a successful transition.