NEWLY examined videos have revealed that Bangladeshi police killed or injured at least 20 unarmed protesters in two previously undocumented incidents during the anti-government demonstrations last year.
The International Truth and Justice Project (ITJP) analysed footage from 5 August, the day former prime minister Sheikh Hasina fled the country, showing deliberate violence against peaceful civilians, reported The Guardian.
These findings add to the growing evidence of police brutality in the final days of Hasina's regime, which saw over 1,000 civilians killed during the protests.
Callum Macrae, the filmmaker who analysed the videos, described the footage as showing that police were under no threat and used unjustified lethal force. He emphasised the need for an independent judicial process to investigate these incidents.
Yasmin Sooka, ITJP's executive director, condemned the use of live ammunition against unarmed protesters, calling the violence "horrific".
Sooka also noted the resignation of Tulip Siddiq, Hasina's niece, from the UK government after a review into her property dealings, though it found no breach of ministerial standards, the newspaper reported.
The ITJP investigation highlighted two incidents on 5 August. The first occurred outside Jatrabari police station in Dhaka, where police fired 12-gauge pump-action shotguns at student protesters.
Footage later showed an officer throwing a grenade into the crowd, followed by more gunfire. At least 19 people were seen dead or injured, with one man being beaten and another shot multiple times at close range.
The second video showed 20-year-old Mohammed Riddoy being surrounded by police and shot in the back at point-blank range.
His body was dragged away by officers and has not been recovered. His family has repeatedly appealed for its return, The Guardian reported.
Baharul Alam, Inspector General of Bangladeshi police, confirmed that 30 officers had been arrested amid ongoing investigations.
He acknowledged the authenticity of the footage involving Riddoy and stated that two officers were arrested in connection with his death.
The videos accompany a new report by ITJP and the Tech Global Institute, revealing that at least 148 people, including 40 minors, were killed on 19 July alone. This suggests the overall death toll from the protests may be significantly higher than initially reported.
Since fleeing to India, Sheikh Hasina faces charges in Bangladesh, including crimes against humanity, mass murder, and corruption.
An arrest warrant and extradition request have been issued against her, though she denies all allegations
Kulsuma Aktergetty images
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