Bangladesh Unrest: 30 Shot Dead By Police In Mass Killing After Hasina's Departure, Say Sources | Exclusive

Bangladesh police allegedly shot dead 30 people in an incident of mass killing on Tuesday (August 6), as per exclusive footage accessed by CNN-News18, a day after Sheikh Hasina’s resignation and departure from the country amid violent protests.

According to sources, at least 30 bodies with gunshot wounds were found at the morgue in Dhaka’s Jatrabari. They said people trapped behind a flyover pillar were unable to move due to heavy gunfire when suddenly, police personnel opened fire on them, sources said.

Sources further said initial reports said this happened because police personnel were trying to defend themselves when their station was attacked by protesters. But, later it was found that these people were trapped behind a flyover pillar and were unable to move due to heavy gunfire, they said.

All of a sudden, police personnel emerge from a station and started firing at the trapped people, killing most of them on the spot, sources said. Some tried to run but were caught in the chaos, they added.

In an unprecedented situation, police have been absent from their duty to keep law and order or manage traffic due to violent mob and arson attacks on stations in the aftermath of the fall of Hasina’s government. Earlier, a top police official called on every member of the force to resume their duties gradually and maintain law and order.

Additional Inspector General of Police (AIG) AKM Shahidur Rahman, who was appointed as the focal person of the Bangladesh Police on Tuesday (August 6) to handle the current crisis, called on every member of the force to resume their duties gradually and maintain public safety and law and order.

“The police are friends of the people and work for the public. We cannot imagine a society without the police. Therefore, I request our police members once again to ignore rumours and return to their duties in a phased manner, ensuring that security arrangements are properly in place,” said Rahman, who has now been appointed as the director general of RAB in a fresh reshuffle on Wednesday.

There were reports of attacks on police stations and facilities across the country, resulting in numerous police casualties, which have led to this unprecedented situation.

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