Abu Sayeed subjected to reckless police firing, extrajudicial killing: UN

Begum Rokeya University student Abu Sayeed was recklessly shot by the police. He was subjected to extrajudicial killing. Based on the video footage of the incident and eye witness records, there is reasonable ground to believe that the police were directly involved in the killing of Abu Sayeed.

This has been said in the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) fact-finding report, prepared analysing the incidents that occurred from 1 July to 15 August.

The OHCHR analysed different photos and videos of the incident. The digital forensic department of the organisation enhanced the quality of the video and photos. After that, they tried to match the videos and photos with the eyewitness record and reconstruct the entire incident.

The report says Abu Sayeed, 23, was the youngest among the five brothers and three sisters. He was the first in the family to attend university. He was involved in the quota reform movement right from the start.

During the movement on 16 July, thousands of students from local schools and the university were demonstrating in the areas near the Rokeya University. The situation escalated as a large group of students thronged the gate-1 of the university.

According to the police report submitted to the OHCHR, a clash broke out between the members of Bangladesh Chhatra League, student wing of Bangladesh Awami League, and demonstrators as the students tried to enter the university forcefully. The police fired tear gas shells and blank shots to disperse the student.

The police said Abu Sayeed was critically injured and later died at the Rangpur Medical College Hospital. They cited head injuries and bullet marks on his body as the reason for his death.

OHCHR said on the basis of the description of incidents by several reliable victims and eye witness records, there is logical ground to believe that the police were directly involved in the killing of Abu Sayeed and hold the responsibility of the incident.

The UN fact-finding report says police, in cooperation with BCL men, attacked students with batons and sticks. Abu Sayeed was among those beaten, according to witnesses. The police also fired tear gas and shotguns loaded with lethal metal pellets at the protesters. Several students were injured by the shooting, including one protester who was partially blinded.

When police started shooting at the crowd, Abu Sayeed raised his hands. Videos and eyewitness testimony showed that, while he was holding a bamboo pole in one hand, he did not pose any threat to officers positioned approximately 14-15 metres away.

According to eyewitnesses interviewed by OHCHR , when he shouted at police, “shoot me,” two police officers shot him multiple times with shotguns loaded with lethal metal pellets and aimed directly at his torso.

OHCHR’s forensic physician examined the medical records available for Abu Sayeed’s case and found that no proper autopsy conforming to international forensic standards had been performed.

The physician’s own examination of the medical evidence, including photos of the body, found shotgun wounds, with at least 40 metal pellets on the right side of his chest and 50 on the left, including areas around the heart, lungs and abdomen.

The forensic analysis concluded that the type and distribution of injuries were consistent with Abu Sayeed having been shot at least twice with shotguns loaded with lethal metal pellets from a distance of approximately 14 meters.

Forensic analysis of the video footage indicated that Abu Sayeed being shot led to visible bleeding from his neck, chest, and arms, followed by signs of hypovolemia and dizziness. The analysis found no sign of any severe head injuries that would support an alternative cause of death such as Abu Sayeed’s head hitting the ground while being carried away to hospital.

Despite the absence of a proper autopsy, the documented wounds and the related video footage support the conclusion that Abu Sayeed was killed by lethal metal pellets resulting from at least two shots.

Based on the information obtained and analysed, OHCHR has reasonable grounds to believe that Abu Sayeed was the victim of a deliberate extrajudicial killing by the police.

The forensic analysis concluded that the type and distribution of injuries were consistent with Abu Sayeed having been shot at least twice with shotguns loaded with lethal metal pellets from a distance of approximately 14 meters.

Forensic analysis of the video footage indicated that Abu Sayeed being shot led to visible bleeding from his neck, chest, and arms, followed by signs of hypovolemia and dizziness. The analysis found no sign of any severe head injuries that would support an alternative cause of death such as Abu Sayeed’s head hitting the ground while being carried away to hospital.

Despite the absence of a proper autopsy, the documented wounds and the related video footage support the conclusion that Abu Sayeed was killed by lethal metal pellets resulting from at least two shots.

Based on the information obtained and analysed, OHCHR has reasonable grounds to believe that Abu Sayeed was the victim of a deliberate extrajudicial killing by the police.