Over 1,000 killed in Bangladesh protests: Adviser Sakhawat

Jute and Textiles Adviser Brigadier General (Retd) M Sakhawat Hossain has revealed that over a thousand people have been killed during a recent quota reform protests in the country.

Sakhawat, who was the former Home Adviser and is now the Jute and Textiles Adviser, made the statement in an interview with the Northeast News, an Indian news outlet, on Friday (August 16).

Amid growing protests from students and the public, former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resigned from her position on August 5 and left the country.

On August 8, the interim government, led by Nobel Laureate Dr Muhammad Yunus, was sworn in.

Sakhawat initially served as the Home Adviser but was reassigned to the Ministry of Jute and Textiles on August 16.

In the interview, Sakhawat claimed that the majority of those killed in the protests, which took place in Dhaka and other districts, were young people and students, and that these deaths resulted from lethal force used by the police under orders from the former Sheikh Hasina government.

Sakhawat disclosed that after taking office, he had extensive discussions with numerous police officers, spending five hours trying to calm them. "I asked them who were killed during Hasina's regime and under whose orders these killings took place," he said.

Many officers broke down in tears, expressing their remorse, with some even embracing him in their guilt.

Regarding the future management of the police force, Sakhawat stated that the administration led by Dr Yunus would decide how to proceed.

"The task is difficult, but several officers involved in drug trafficking and illicit transfer-posting rackets have already been identified. They will face severe punishment once investigations are complete," he added.

Sakhawat also pointed out the presence of conspirators and enemies surrounding Dr. Yunus' government.

He issued a message to the Indian government, saying, "My message to the Indian government is: Do you want a friendly or a hostile government in Dhaka? Because a country that aspires to be a superpower should not interfere in the affairs of neighbouring countries like Bangladesh. We are not a gang of fragments."