Top judge asks students to return to classes as SC issues status quo on HC order. Quota Reform Demo: Protesters set to resume blockade today. Question racket runs deep. History of the quota system in Bangladesh. We are disturbed by Ain O Salish Kendra's ASKreporton the human rights situation in Bangladesh in the first half of 2024. According to one of the leading human rights organisations which prepares the report every year based on news published in national dailies, alongside its own findings political killings have tripled, and custodial deaths doubled this year compared to the same period in the previous year. If this is how the first six months of the third term of the Awami League government has played out, can citizens be blamed for worrying about what the future holds?. At least 41 people were killed in incidents of political violence in the first six months of 2024. The alarming increase in political violence can be traced back to the general election on January 7, city corporation elections, and upazila polls held in four phases across the country. Although the polls were boycotted by the main opposition parties, including BNP, it is unfortunate that we still witnessed untoward killings and violence, mostly among supporters of Awami League candidates and independent AL candidates or, in the case of local elections, among ALaffiliated candidates. We have not seen any acknowledgement from the government, its law enforcement agencies and the Election Commission about its failure in preventing intraparty violence and an intimidating electiontime environment. Meanwhile, at least eight individuals, including two women, died in custody during this period. Again, we have not seen any meaningful action to hold accountable law enforcers involved in allegations of torture and extrajudicial excesses, despite repeated appeals from national and human rights bodies. In fact, there has only been one conviction for custodial death over the past decade, though ASK documented at least 138 deaths that have been allegedly caused by physical torture by law enforcement agencies. Over the years, we have observed a concerning dismissal or downplaying of human rights abuses by the government, even when presented with compelling statistics. Will the third term of the Awami League government be more of the same, or will it finally realise that no amount of economic growth and infrastructural development can make up for gross human rights violations, and that it is ultimately in its best interests to address them? For the sake of citizens, we hope it is the latter.
Top judge urges students to return to classes amidst SC maintaining status quo on HC order regarding quota reform protests. Human rights organization ASK reports a concerning rise in political violence, with tripled political killings and doubled custodial deaths in the first half of 2024. Criticism directed at the government for failing to address intraparty violence and custodial deaths, raising questions about commitment to human rights.