Shocking Footage Reveals Police Brutality During Bangladesh Protests

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Newly released video footage has uncovered incidents of deadly police violence during protests in Bangladesh last year, marking a grim reflection of the country's sociopolitical turmoil. The International Truth and Justice Project (ITJP) has analyzed videos from August 5, 2024, the day former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina fled the country amidst escalating protests. The footage indicates that police shot at unarmed civilians, resulting in at least 20 deaths and injuries.

Rights group ITJP, which tracks human rights abuses, described the footage as “grotesque” and revealing of systemic police brutality. Callum Macrae, a filmmaker involved in the analysis, emphasized that the police operated without any threats from protestors and had no legal justification for their lethal actions.

The documented police actions occurred in the final days of Hasina’s government, during which over 1,000 civilians were reportedly killed in violent crackdowns on peaceful demonstrations. Yasmin Sooka, the ITJP executive director, expressed shock over the use of live ammunition against unarmed protesters.

Protests erupted in July 2024 against Hasina’s regime, following accusations of pervasive corruption and human rights violations during her 15-year tenure. As demonstrations intensified, Hasina was forced to abandon her post and flee as military personnel refused to fire on civilians.

Among the incidents captured on video, one clip shows police firing at crowds, employing shotgun rounds against demonstrators. A separate video allegedly depicts the fatal shooting of a 20-year-old protestor, Mohammed Riddoy, whose fate remains uncertain. His family continues to seek his body from authorities, who have not disclosed its whereabouts.

The Bangladesh police have initiated investigations into the actions of their officers, with 30 already arrested over the incidents. However, as the nation grapples with the implications of these revelations, calls for accountability and justice continue to grow.

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