EU wants probe into attacks on protesters, journos

The European Union (EU) on Tuesday expressed concern and sought investigation into the actions taken against protesters and journalists during the ongoing student protests for safe roads, reports UNB.

"Incidents of unlawful or disproportionate violence or action against protesters, journalists or others need to stop; those that happened must be investigated and perpetrators be held accountable," said EU envoys in Dhaka in a joint statement.

They said, "The government's recognition of the need for action is a welcome step and we, therefore, expect further government action to address this without delay."

They said the school-children's protests highlighted fears over road safety and the enforcement of laws and regulations on the roads in Bangladesh.

The EU heads of mission stressed that the violent scenes in Dhaka in recent days, particularly where school children and young people have been caught in protests or violent clashes with other groups, are a source of real concern.

"We expect all sides to remain calm and to respect the right to peaceful protest," they said.

The signatories to the statement are British high commissioner Alison Blake, Danish ambassador Mikael Hemniti Winther, Spain ambassador D Álvaro de Salas Giménez de Azcárate, Chargé of d'Affaires Embassy of France Jean-Pierre Poncet,  Chargé d'Affaires Embassy of Italy Giuseppe Semenza,  Chargé d'Affaires Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany Michael Schultheiss, Chargé d'Affaires of Embassy of Sweden Anders Öhrström, Chargé d'Affaires of Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands Jeroen Steeghs, Chargé d'Affaires of Delegation of the European Union Konstantinos Vardakis.