‘National Inquiry Commission’ to investigate massacre centring quota protests

Staff Correspondent: In response to severe allegations of constitutional, legal, and human rights violations related to the quota reform protests, a ‘National Inquiry Commission’ has been established. The commission was announced in a press release sent to the media on Monday by joint secretaries of the commission, Tanzimuddin Khan and Maha Mirza.

The press release details that violence against students began on July 16 when excessive force was used to suppress the anti-discrimination student movement in the Dhaka University area. Protests erupted nationwide in response, leading to Abu Saeed being shot in the chest in Rangpur. Despite the incident, when a case was filed, the blame was placed on ordinary students and the public, raising questions about the integrity of the investigation process and demands for truth.

While national newspapers reported at least 209 deaths related to the protests, the official count stands at 147. Allegations of severe constitutional, legal, and human rights violations have been made due to the attempts to control the movement through torture, shootings, and mass arrests.

The newly formed National Inquiry Commission aims to uncover the causes of these incidents, ensure a thorough investigation, and seek justice.

The commission will be headed by the retired judge of the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court Justice Md. Abdul Matin, and includes legal luminaries in the field of human rights law such as the activist Sultana Kamal, senior lawyer ZI Khan Panna, lawyer Aneek R. Haque, as well as writers and researchers such as senior journalist Abu Saeed Khan, Professor Gitiara Nasrin, senior journalist Ashraf Kaiser, Professor Tanzimuddin Khan, and writer and researcher Maha Mirza.

According to the press release, Justice Md. Abdul Matin and Sultana Kamal will serve as the co-chairpersons of the commission, while Professor Tanzimuddin Khan and Maha Mirza will act as joint secretaries.

The commission will also include advisors such as senior lawyers Tobarak Hossain and Sara Hossain, distinguished legal mind Dr. Shahdeen Malik, , senior lawyers Rashna Imam and Jyotirmoy Barua, and law professors Syemum Reza Talukdar and Kazi Mahfuzul Haque Supon, as well as the academic Salimullah Khan.

The National Inquiry Commission will soon request all concerned individuals to submit any information related to the violence, torture, killings, shootings, threats, lawsuits, and human rights violations that have occurred since July 1st, including audio, video, photographs, and written materials.

Aneek R. Haque, in an update on his Facebook profile Monday night, said the commission in its work would “maintain the confidentiality of those who will give evidence,” which can be important in encouraging more people to come forward with whatever they have.

He also added the Terms of Reference of the Commission and a Call for Evidence will be published soon, “in a day or two.”