Bangladesh’s Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting, Mohammad Arafat, has defended the government’s handling of mass protests in an exclusive interview with Al Jazeera. He blamed “third-party” actors for fueling the unrest and accused extremists and terrorists of intruding into the student protests for their own agenda. Arafat stated that security forces did everything to bring back peace and de-escalate tensions.
The protests began earlier this month when students demanded reforms to the country’s quota system, resulting in more than 150 student deaths and thousands of arrests in a crackdown by the government. The violence escalated when members of the ruling party’s student wing allegedly attacked protesters, leading to a curfew, university closures, and disruptions in internet access.
International scrutiny followed the government’s response to the protests, with the United Nations Human Rights Chief calling for an independent investigation into alleged human rights violations. UN experts also urged for a transparent probe into the government’s violent crackdown on demonstrators.
Arafat denied calls for Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to resign, stating she was only protecting the people. He also mentioned the government’s plans for an independent judicial committee to investigate the casualties and hold those responsible accountable.
Protesters have demanded public apologies for the student killings and resignations from several government ministers. The suspension of protests, which was extended until Friday, was scheduled to be discussed further on Thursday. The calls for accountability and justice continue as Bangladesh grapples with the aftermath of the deadly crackdown on protesters.
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Photo credit www.aljazeera.com
