The International Union of Socialist Youth (IUSY) condemns the use of violence against student protesters  in Bangladesh in their demonstration for justice and road safety.

The killing of two teenagers by a speeding bus on July 29 sparked a demonstration on the main roads of Dhaka, Bangladesh. The attack by the police and men of the ruling party against the demonstrators led to days of unrest in the capital city.

The protest, led by the students of Dhaka University and youth turned violent when authorities beat protesters with baton, used water canon and tear gas to disperse student protestors and shut down mobile internet connection as the unrest spread beyond the capital city of Dhaka.

The student’s protest were mainly focused on road safety and law enforcement, but was evidently driven by growing frustration with the government. The city of Dhaka witnessed a huge number of road accidents in the densely populated city of 18 million people. The report from non-governmental Passenger Welfare Association stated that at least 7, 397 people- around 20 on a daily basis- lost their lives in road accident. The demonstration has led to the Bangladesh government approving a new law to raise the maximum prison sentence for those causing death due to road accidents to 5 years.

Bangladesh continues to be unsafe for social media activists , protestors, intellectuals, journalists and artists as security forces continue to exploit power. More than 150 students have been wounded in the clashes and over 20 journalists have been beaten up by the ruling party Awami League’s youth wing. Several journalists and activists have also been arrested.

We demand that the ruling party and the opposition do not use the student protest to put blame on each other and neglect the action needed to bring back peace and security in Bangladesh.

IUSY demands justice for students who were met with violence and repression for protesting. The youth have the right to express their dissatisfaction towards the functionality of the government and demand better safety and quality of life. We also strongly condemn the government’s use of violence on the student protestors and its lack of security for the activists and the journalist of Bangladesh.