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Diplomatic Correspondent //

The United Nations is joining the investigation of the overall human rights violations, including the killings during the student movement. As part of the United Nations fact-finding mission, the initial technical team is arriving in Dhaka on Thursday for a week-long visit.

On Wednesday afternoon, Foreign Secretary Masud bin Momen told reporters in his office that the UN technical team is initially scheduled to stay in Bangladesh until August 28. If they want, this visit can be longer. There will be a discussion on how to assist Bangladesh in the investigation that is going to start.

Meanwhile, according to diplomatic sources from Geneva, while the United Nations is going to investigate the atrocities surrounding Bangladesh’s quota reform movement, at the same time, some international human rights organizations are pressuring several Western countries to raise the issue to the United Nations Human Rights Council. When Bangladesh generously decided to involve the United Nations in the most brutal human rights violation in the country’s history, diplomatic analysts feel that it is not appropriate to raise the issue in the discussion of the United Nations Human Rights Council at this time.

Incidentally, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) released a report last week on the recent protests in Bangladesh. The report, titled ‘Preliminary Analysis of Recent Protests and Unrest in Bangladesh’, said there were serious and credible allegations of ‘unnecessary’ and ‘excessive’ use of force against the law and order forces in suppressing protests surrounding the quota reform movement.

According to the report, police and paramilitary forces have used indiscriminate force in peaceful protests and incidents of violence. Law enforcement personnel have used a variety of lethal firearms, including rubber bullets and sound grenades, as well as bird hunting weapons and bullets. This is the first time an international organization has published an assessment report on this situation.

The UN team is coming today

According to diplomatic sources, a three-member team led by Rory Mungoven, head of the Asia-Pacific region of the United Nations High Commissioner’s Office, is coming to Bangladesh to discuss preliminary information. At this time, he will come to Dhaka and discuss with the participants and finalize all the issues including the work flow, process and conditions. As a result, the team that is coming to Dhaka is the main fact-finding team of the United Nations, it is not yet time to say.

Foreign Secretary Masoud bin Momen said the UN team will also meet with advisers. Apart from this, he will also meet with various government authorities and civil society representatives. And when asked whether the UN technical team or the investigation team will come first, the foreign secretary said, ‘We have not been informed about the matter yet by the UN. Hopefully, the party will discuss with the concerned parties as the primary party. Basically Bangladesh will need cooperation in some areas and at the same time the UN team will discuss what kind of cooperation they will need if they come to Bangladesh.

United Nations sources said that on August 14, the chief adviser of the interim government. Muhammad Yunus was spoken to by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Falker Turk. At that time, the investigation between them was finalized. Now the UN experts who will come to Dhaka from Geneva, how they will work with the government, the scope of their work and the time frame will be finalised. As they will talk to various stakeholders during their one-week stay in Dhaka, they can also gather some ideas and information about the initial investigation.

The UN delegation is said to operate independently on its own terms.

However, a diplomatic source from Geneva said that a proposal has also come from the United Nations whether the UN team that will work on the information, can be included under the technical assistance or not. However, Bangladesh wants the UN delegation to first see the situation on the ground. Then a decision can be taken about it.

Bangladesh does not want to be criticized by the council

According to diplomatic sources from Geneva, several members of the West have written letters to Bangladesh regarding the human rights situation arising around Bangladesh’s quota reform movement. Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International are also involved. Human rights international non-governmental aid organizations are trying to put some pressure on the member states of the United Nations. These organizations want the situation of Bangladesh to be added to the agenda of the session of the Human Rights Council.

Diplomatic sources say, when Bangladesh has generously involved the United Nations in investigating human rights violations, it is not appropriate to try to involve Bangladesh in the session of the Council. Because, if the matter is added to the agenda, Bangladesh may face criticism from the member countries. Under these circumstances, when the UN delegation visits Bangladesh, it should be strongly emphasized to them that it would not be logical to include the situation in Bangladesh in the agenda of the Human Rights Council.