DHAKA, Nov 10, 2023 (BSS) - Outraged by an error ridden report by UN's rights body, as many as 86 human rights activists, anti-war crimes campaigners, minority leaders, writers and social activists have found the statement by Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights on October 31, 2023 did not reflect the facts of the incidents.

Pointing at the briefing titled 'Bangladesh Political Protests', the signatories found "some of the observations of the statement were not based on facts and hence should be revisited" and urged the UN body to further verify facts and figures about the issues concerned.

The signatories included Dr. Qazi Kholiquzzaman Ahmad, Economist & Environmentalist, Dr Sarwar Ali, valiant freedom fighter, Trustee of Freedom War Museum and Executive President of Chhayanaut, Professor Dr. Kamrul Hasan Khan, Valiant freedom fighter and former Vice Chancellor, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU),

 Mr. K. H. Masud Siddiqui, former secretary and former member of Bangladesh Public Service Commission (PSC), Mohammed Nurul Huda, former Inspector General of Bangladesh Police (IGP), Secretary & Columnist, Professor Dr. Md. Mustafizur Rahman, former Vice Chancellor, Bangamata Sheikh Fazilatun Nesa Mujib Science & Technology University, Ujjwal Bikash Dutta, 

former Secretary and former Member, Bangladesh Public Service Commission (PSC), Ramendu Majumdar, cultural personality and Professor Dr. Kanak Kanti Barua, former Vice Chancellor, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU), among others.

They also noted that such statement having observations which were not based on facts might further explicitly encourage the perpetrators to carry on with their heinous violent activities.

Since October 28, the country witnessed a series of violence including a series of arsons, attacks on police as the opposition combine BNP-Jamaat observing blockades. 

Categorizing all the unprecedented violence, including ruthless arsons, police killings, burning people alive and mindless vandalism as 'political protests', the statement made might explicitly encourage the perpetrators to carry on with their heinous violent activities, said the statement.

"We may mention herewith what actually happened on October 28 and afterwards for better understanding. Categorizing all the unprecedented violence, including ruthless arsons, police killings, burning people alive and mindless vandalism, as 'political protests',” they said in the statement.
 
Moreover, the statement reflected a wrong perception against the ruling party by saying 'who were thought to have been ruling party supporters.'
 
Citing media reports, the statement reads, as regards death of 11 people, particularly six opposition party members, claimed in the notes to have died during the violence is misleading. 

Media reports quoted Urmi Bhuiyan, daughter of another deceased Rafique Bhuiyan, 73, who died of brain hemorrhage falling from rickshaw in city's Shegunbagicha area but BNP slapped the blame on police for the killing of Rafique, the statement added. 

In fact, two garment workers, Russell Hawlader and Emran Hossain, who died in a separate incident, one Jahangir Alam was an Awami League leader and was killed by the BNP people in Lalmonirhat on October 29, another person named Shameem, who died stamped near the BNP's rally venue on October 28, was not involved in politics as claimed by his father, Yusuf. 

"Though all the miscreants who attacked the residences of the Chief Justice and other judges were identified as BNP activists, the statement did not reflect the actual situation. Even while doing so, it seemed that benefit of doubt has gone to the perpetrators by saying 'opposition protesters allegedly attacked'. 

Police constable Amirul Haque Parvez was brutally killed on October 28 near the BNP rally venue at Naya Paltan and a bus helper, Md. Nayeem, was burnt alive while he was sleeping in the wee hours of October 29 by the 'opposition protesters.' 

 About an opposition activist Abdur Rashid's death, the leading English daily, The Daily Star, wrote, 'BNP man fell to his death.'
 
Quoting eyewitnesses, most mainstream media said he met his death by falling from the rooftop of an under-construction building while fleeing after setting fire to a bus in the other part of the city on October 29.
 
Jubo Dal (Youth Front of BNP) activist Jilu Ahmed was severely injured on a highway in Sylhet about 235 kilometers from Dhaka on October 31 while his speeding motorbike crashed into a tree after attending a violent party procession. 

He later died in hospital while undergoing treatment. From various sources, we came to know that Billal Hossain and Rifat Ullah were among around 1,500 unruly people of BNP who formed a violent unlawful assembly, and attacked the Police on duty. Both of them got injured and died while undergoing treatment around 8:30 am on October 31 in Kuliarchar of Kishoreganj district. 

The whole nation is shocked at the unprecedented attack on the residences of the Chief Justice and other Supreme Court judges. Despicable attacks injuring around 35 journalists also shocked the nation. Police have already identified the attackers, masked or unmasked, involved in the incident and found their clear connections with the BNP. 

Video footage of the policemen being beaten and chopped to death also shows some attackers wearing masks. The OHCHR surmised that the attackers who were masked were ruling party men. It is erroneous and deserves keen observation, they added.
 
Notably all the media published the news with pictures and videos about one Robiul Islam, Member Secretary of Dhaka-South Jubo Dal (BNP), setting fire to vehicles on October 28 wearing vest with the word 'PRESS' printed on it.
 
The briefing notes mentioned, police attacking protesters with rods. This was not based on facts. When the attackers turned extremely violent, police dispersed them using only batons, tear shells, rubber bullets, and sound grenades as per law. 

With regard to the OHCHR's allegations of indiscriminate raids and arrests, it's understand Police showed its utmost patience in maintaining law and order on October 28.
 
"In assessing police actions vis-a-vis the atrocities committed, we request the OHCHR to take in view that residences of the Chief Justice and other Supreme Court judges were attacked, mindless attack on the journalist, severity and brutality with which policemen were beaten to death, Central Police hospital was vandalized and set ablaze, dozens of vehicles were set on fire, the central and biggest police lines of Bangladesh Police were attacked, innocent people were burnt to death," they said.