Bangladesh has admitted that it overlooked the removal of U.N. markings from vehicles during an army-imposed curfew aimed at quelling widespread violence that erupted across the nation last week, resulting in nearly 150 fatalities.
The United Nations has requested clarification from Dhaka authorities after footage captured by Reuters journalists on Sunday displayed an armored personnel carrier bearing the letters 'UN'. This vehicle was transporting armed soldiers through the streets of Dhaka, which experienced several days of fatal confrontations as law enforcement suppressed student protests against government job reservation quotas.
Bangladesh Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud informed the media on Wednesday that several vehicles had been leased to the U.N. peacekeeping mission. 'We neglected to erase the logo. Now the logos have been removed,' he stated. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's administration had halted internet access and enlisted the army to enforce a curfew starting from midnight on Saturday.
The students' agitation stemmed from a high court's reversal of Hasina's decision to eliminate 56 percent of government job quotas, reinstating them amidst a national unemployment crisis. However, the demonstrations ceased after the Supreme Court upheld the government's appeal on Sunday, abolishing most quotas and stipulating that 93 percent of jobs should be accessible through competition.
The United Nations, alongside international human rights organizations, the U.S., and Britain, condemned the use of force against demonstrators and urged Dhaka to safeguard the right to peaceful protest. 'We have expressed our concerns about the situation in Bangladesh to the relevant authorities in Dhaka and New York, and we have also sought clarification on reports that some UN-marked vehicles might have been utilized during recent events,' stated Farhan Haq, a deputy spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General.
He emphasized that countries contributing troops and police to UN peacekeeping missions are only permitted to use UN insignia and equipment marked with UN insignia when carrying out mandated tasks as UN peacekeepers. Bangladesh ranks third in troop and police contributions to the UN peacekeeping mission, following Nepal and Rwanda.
