Mushfiqul Fazal Ansarey, UN correspondent
The United Nations on Tuesday called on the government of Bangladesh to protect demonstrators demanding quota reforms in government jobs from any form of threat or violence.
Stéphane Dujarric, spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General, made this statement at a noon briefing in response to a question from UN correspondent Mushfiqul Fazal Ansarey about the excessive use of force by the government’s militant group, Chhatra League, along with other security forces, against agitating students, which left six dead.
Noting that the UN was very much aware of the situation in Bangladesh and was following it closely with concern, Dujarric said, “I think whether it's in Bangladesh or anywhere else in the world, people have a right to demonstrate peacefully, and we call on the government of Bangladesh to protect the demonstrators against any form of threat or violence, and especially those who may be protesting peacefully and need extra protection, such as young people, children, or people with disabilities.”
Dujarric emphasized that it is a fundamental human right to be able to demonstrate peacefully and that governments should protect those rights.
MR/
