Summary:
- A UN human rights report directly links Bangladesh’s Awami League leadership to inciting July 2024 violence against student protesters through inflammatory public statements.
- Chhatra League members executed coordinated attacks using weapons and motorcycle helmets, with evidence showing pre-planned positioning and organized tactics.
- Senior officials including Obaidul Quader accused protesters of “arrogance” and used wartime collaborator terminology (“razakar”) to justify violence.
- Despite internal acknowledgments of error, ruling party leadership made no public efforts to retract statements or curb supporter violence against demonstrators.
A United Nations human rights report has implicated senior Bangladeshi officials in inciting violent attacks on student demonstrators during July 2024 quota reform protests. The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) specifically cited inflammatory remarks by Awami League Secretary General Obaidul Quader and Chhatra League President Saddam Hussain as directly contributing to organized assaults on protesters.
Key Findings
The 12 February 2025 report reveals that “violent individuals among Chhatra League supporters, at times joined by other Awami League supporters, carried out attacks with blunt and sharp weapons, and some firearms” between 14-17 July 2024. These attacks targeted both male and female students near university campuses, with eyewitness accounts and visual evidence showing assailants wearing motorcycle helmets and using coordinated tactics.
Incendiary Statements
The violence followed public declarations by AL leadership:
- Chhatra League President Saddam Hussain vowed on 14 July: “Those who seek to create anarchy or mock the martyrs will be dealt with on the streets”
- Obaidul Quader accused protesters of “arrogance” on 15 July, warning “We will resist any evil force against the spirit of the Liberation War with an iron hand”
Patterns of Violence
The UN documented that attackers:
- Frequently chanted Chhatra League slogans
- Arrived pre-armed with weapons
- Strategically positioned themselves before initiating violence
- Were identified by witnesses as Chhatra League members in multiple incidents
Leadership Accountability
While some former officials privately called Quader’s remarks a “mistake” and “political rhetoric,” the report notes no public retractions or efforts to curb violence from AL leadership. Notably, the ruling party demonstrated capacity to control supporter deployments when defending party offices but failed to restrain attacks on protesters.
Historical Context
The report highlights government officials’ repeated use of “razakar” – a term referencing wartime collaborators – to delegitimize protesters. This rhetoric escalated following Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s initial application of the label to demonstrators.
The OHCHR concluded the AL leadership’s statements created “an environment conducive to violence” against dissenters, with systematic attacks reflecting patterns seen in previous Chhatra League operations. The findings raise urgent questions about political accountability and protection of civil liberties in Bangladesh.
