UN team to visit Bangladesh to probe killings of protestors

A team of United Nations experts will soon visit Bangladesh to investigate the recent killings of protestors, following the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina last week.

The announcement was made on August 14 by Bangladesh's Chief Adviser, Professor Muhammad Yunus, who assumed office on August 8, Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media.

In a post on his X handle, Yunus disclosed that the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, had contacted him on August 14 to discuss the situation. "A team of UN experts would soon visit the country to investigate [the killings]," Turk reportedly told Yunus during their phone conversation.

Bangladesh has been in turmoil since Prime Minister Hasina resigned and fled to India on August 5, after weeks of intense anti-government protests. The protests, which had been mounting for months, culminated in violent clashes that claimed the lives of over 500 people in just two weeks. The Army stepped in to restore order, leaving a power vacuum that was swiftly filled by Yunus, a Nobel laureate, and former microfinance pioneer.

In a follow-up post, Yunus emphasized the significance of human rights under his interim administration. "The UN rights chief said a UN-led investigation will be launched very soon to probe the killing of the protesters during the Student Revolution," he stated. Yunus has sought UN cooperation to ensure the protection of human rights, pledging that "the protection of every citizen is the topmost priority of the government."

Yunus also expressed gratitude to his "long-time friend" Antonio Guterres, the UN Secretary-General, for supporting the student-led revolution and advocating for their rights amid what he described as "unprecedented and devastating killings of student protestors."