UN reacts to violence in quota movement

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Publish : 17 Jul 2024, 12:44 PM

Photo: Collected

After the United States and Amnesty International, the United Nations responded to the incident of attacks and violence on ordinary students in the ongoing movement to demand quota reform in government jobs in Bangladesh.

In response, the organization also called on the government of Bangladesh to protect the students from violent attacks besides expressing support to the quota protesters.

Expressing concern over the ongoing events in Bangladesh, the United Nations says people have the right to peacefully protest and the government must protect that right.

Secretary-General Antonio Guterres' spokesman Stephane Dujarric expressed this reaction in response to a journalist's question at the regular briefing of the United Nations on Wednesday (July 17).

In today's briefing, a journalist asked a question in front of Stephen Dujarric, nationwide protests are going on to demand a merit-based recruitment system instead of the so-called quota system in government jobs in Bangladesh. The Chhatra League, an affiliate of the government, and the police attacked the protesters. Six people including students were killed in the attack. Is the UN Secretary-General aware of this situation?

Dujarric replied, yes. We are very well aware of the ongoing situation in Bangladesh. We are monitoring the situation with concern.

The UN Secretary General's spokesperson also said, 'I think people have the right to protest peacefully, whether in Bangladesh or anywhere else in the world, and we call on the Bangladesh government to protect students from any form of threats or violence.'

Incidentally, ordinary students have been protesting for more than a week and a half demanding quota reforms in government jobs. Finally, the protesters became angry after a reaction of the Prime Minister on this movement last Sunday. Students of various universities, including Dhaka University, started a strong protest from Sunday night. When the protests started again on Monday afternoon, the Chhatra League clashed with the reformists at Dhaka University. More than 300 students were injured in the clash that lasted from 3 pm to 9 pm. After 10 pm, the agitators announced a new program and called upon students and common people from all walks of life across the country to take to the streets in their support.

Then on Tuesday from 11 am, the students of various public and private universities started blocking the road simultaneously in 15-20 places of the capital. The entire capital came to a standstill in the siege. Besides Chattogram, Rajshahi, Rangpur, and Bogura, students from almost everywhere in the country came down on the road. After noon, clashes between Chhatra League and police began in Dhaka's Science Lab and Chankharpool and at various places outside Dhaka. Six people were killed in the clashes in Dhaka, Chattogram, and Rangpur. In order to control the overall situation, BGB was deployed in four districts including the capital Dhaka.

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