The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights says about 650 people were killed in recent clashes between protesters and police in Bangladesh. The unrest led to the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
The office released a report on Friday about police responses and human rights in relation to the mass protests by students and others against civil service job quotas.
The report says the approximately 650 people killed between July 16 and August 11 included student protesters and civilians.
It confirmed police fired shotguns and rifles, and says unnecessary and disproportionate force was used.
It also says students and people connected with opposition parties were arrested without due process, and a number of detainees were subjected to ill-treatment and even torture in police custody.
The report calls on Bangladesh’s interim government to launch an impartial and transparent investigation into those responsible for human rights violations, and to provide reparations and remedies to victims. The interim government was inaugurated on August 8, three days after Hasina stepped down.
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, said in a statement that the transition in Bangladesh presents a “historic opportunity” to make human rights the cornerstone of governance, and to heal long-standing divisions.