A statement issued by the interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus said the UN team would investigate “atrocities during the student revolution” that took place during and after the fall of Sheikh Hasina's government in Bangladesh.

Bangladesh crisis: A United Nations fact-finding mission will arrive in Bangladesh next week to investigate the killing of protesters by police and armed forces during student protests calling for the ouster and resignation of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina.

A statement issued by the interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus said a UN team would investigate “atrocities during the student revolution” during and after the Hasina regime in Bangladesh.

“The United Nations is sending a UN fact-finding team next week to investigate the atrocities that took place during the student revolution in July and earlier this month. UN human rights chief Volker Turk announced the move late on Wednesday after calling chief adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus,” the Bangladesh government's chief adviser's post on X, whose handle is run by Yunus' office, said.

Notably, this is the first time a UN fact-finding mission is visiting Bangladesh to investigate widespread human rights violations since independence in 1971, a UN official said. of Bangladesh.

Bangladesh crisis

Muhammad Yunus was sworn in as the chief adviser to the interim government on 8 August, fleeing to India following the fall of the Awami League regime on 5 August and the resignation of Sheikh Hasina as the country's prime minister, and amid violent protests over quota reforms. For government jobs that turned into anti-Hasina protests after brutal force was used on protesting students.

Bangladesh has been in chaos for the past week following Hasina's departure, while the military stepped in on August 5 to fill the power vacuum. Before that, more than 500 people had been killed in anti-government protests since mid-July, according to official dates, although there are unofficial figures. Keep the number in thousands.

The UN human rights chief pledged support for Yunus

Meanwhile, UN human rights chief Volker Turk pledged support for Bangladesh's interim government, saying a comprehensive, human rights-focused approach would ensure a successful transition.

Hopeful phone call with @ChiefAdviserGoB Muhammad Yunus. I assured him of @UNHumanRights Office's solidarity with the people of #Bangladesh and our support to the Interim Government at this critical time. A comprehensive, human rights-focused approach will ensure that the transition is successful,” Turk said in X Post late on Wednesday night.

Earlier on Wednesday, after a phone call with Turk, Yunus posted: “The UN human rights chief, @volker_turk, called Professor Muhammad Yunus, chief adviser to Bangladesh, on Wednesday.”

“A team of United Nations experts will soon arrive in the country for inspection [the killings]” said Volker Turk today in a phone conversation with Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus.

A United Nations-led investigation to investigate the murder

Yunus said in a connecting post on X: The UN rights chief said a UN-led investigation would soon be launched to investigate the killings of protesters during the student revolution.

Human rights will be the cornerstone of his administration and the protection of every citizen is the government's top priority, said Yunus, who sought the cooperation of the United Nations to uphold human rights.

“The Chief Adviser thanked him and his long-time friend Antonio Guterres, the UN Secretary-General, for supporting the Bangladesh student revolution and upholding their rights amid the unprecedented and devastating killings of student protesters,” Yunus said in a series of posts.

Meanwhile, on Wednesday, Bangladesh's International Criminal Tribunal's investigative body filed a complaint against Hasina and eight others, accusing them of genocide and crimes against humanity during student protests against their government.

(with PTI input)