In the week of July 15, 2024, thousands of students in Bangladesh began a peaceful protest against the discriminatory quota system in civil services, which reserves 30% of government jobs for descendants of 1971 Independence War veterans and 26% for women, indigenous communities, disabled citizens, and others. This leaves only 44% of jobs based on merit, significantly reducing opportunities for the majority and increasing unemployment.

The protest faced brutal violence from the police and Bangladesh Student League (BSL) aka Bangladesh Chhatra League, leading to the death of over 100 students and injuries to hundreds by July 18. Authorities closed all universities indefinitely and launched assaults on students across major campuses. The violence included gunfire, local weapons, tear gas, sound grenades, and batons.

Since the night of July 18, the government shut down internet and mobile networks to suppress the protest and prevent information dissemination, further isolating students and citizens from emergency services and communication with their families. This severe response violates human rights and democratic principles, turning institutions and streets into conflict zones with increasing casualties.

In light of these national emergencies, we demand immediate action to address the following critical issues:

1. Restoration of Internet Access: The Bangladeshi government must immediately restore Internet access to ensure transparency and enable communication with the outside world. Since July 18th, the government has imposed a total blackout, cutting off internet access and limiting mobile communications. This blackout has made it difficult to obtain up-to-date information on the state of the country, allowing authorities to conduct repressive actions without international scrutiny, thereby worsening human rights violations. Despite the nationwide internet shutdown, multiple posts have appeared on the official Facebook page of the Bangladesh Awami League. Additionally, several news channels in Bangladesh have managed to post on Facebook and conduct live broadcasts. This raises a critical question: how do these entities have access to disseminate their information while the rest of the nation remains in the dark?
2. Immediate Cessation of All Forms of Violence: We call upon the ruling government of Bangladesh, Bangladesh Awami League, to immediately cease all forms of violence against the student protesters. This includes the beating and mass killing of innocent students, the looting and raiding of student residential halls, and the assault on individuals peacefully protesting against the current quota system. The excessive use of force, such as deploying tear gas, shooting rubber bullets, and threatening students with machetes, is wholly unacceptable and must be condemned.
3. Compliance with Protesters' Demands: On 20th July, student protesters presented a list of nine demands to the government, aiming to address issues of accountability, justice, and safety within educational institutions and the broader society. The government must heed these legitimate demands to create a safer and fairer environment and punish the human rights violators. 
4. Hold Law Enforcement Officers Accountable: The Bangladesh Police, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) have participated in violence against student protestors. Specifically, the Bangladesh Police have directly attacked students, killing many by shooting bullets at them, and have sheltered the Bangladesh Student League (BSL), also known as Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL), in attacking unarmed students with firearms and local weapons. Journalists reporting in favor of peaceful protesters are also being beaten by the police. These actions are clear violations of the Constitution of Bangladesh, as well as international human rights law. The violence extends beyond peaceful protestors to include students, patients, and drivers in ambulances. The use of excessive force, arbitrary detentions, and harassment of peaceful protesters are crimes against humanity that must be addressed and rectified.
   
   According to the Constitution of Bangladesh:
   - Article 31 guarantees protection of law.
   - Article 32 ensures the right to life and personal liberty.
   - Article 35(5) prohibits torture. 
   
   Additionally, international human rights law, as outlined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, affirms that:
   - Law enforcement officials must respect and protect human dignity and maintain and uphold the human rights of all persons (UN Code of Conduct for Law Enforcement Officials, Article 2).
   - Obedience to superior orders shall not be a defense for violations committed by police. (Human Rights Standards and Practice for the Police, OHCHR). 
   
   There must be thorough and impartial investigations into the violence and human rights violations committed by these forces. Those responsible must be brought to justice according to both the national constitution and international human rights standards. This includes ensuring accountability for the Bangladesh Police's actions and implementing measures to prevent such violations in the future.
5. Designation of Bangladesh Chhatra League/Bangladesh Student League as a Terrorist Organization: The Bangladesh Chhatra League, responsible for instigating sanctioned violence and intimidation against anyone who criticizes the government, aids the government to suppress freedom of expression and share equal parts of responsibility of conducting violence with the police must be recognized as a terrorist organization. Bangladesh Chhatra League, with its history of torturing students in their residential halls, threatening them to abide by their orders, and suppressing students’ freedom of expression, has long been a significant contributor to the unrest and suffering of the student community. Their actions must be condemned and addressed appropriately. This petition to enlist Bangladesh Chhatra League as a Terrorist Organization has over 150,000 signatures already.

**This document contains an extensive list of evidence documenting the ongoing atrocities: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1LicWgAhz6L8r7JJaqRpf6FIAyXNO5bJ3tthNmSzeh4w