In a fervent outcry against alleged state brutality, Bangladeshi students from 40 US universities have called for the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

The students denounce the reported repression and the fatal violence against over 200 students and civilians in Bangladesh.

The students’ statement expressed deep alarm over the harsh actions of law enforcement agencies. “We strongly condemn the atrocities committed by the government led by the fascist and authoritarian ruler Sheikh Hasina on students and ordinary citizens of Bangladesh over the past few days,” said the statement.

Students peacefully protesting for quota reform were met with brutal force, resulting in over 200 deaths and thousands of injuries. Additionally, thousands have been arrested arbitrarily, with a nationwide curfew and military deployment intensifying the crackdown.

“Bangladesh has been isolated from the rest of the world through the suppression of all forms of communication. Almost all human rights, including freedom of speech, the right to organise rallies, and the right to access information, have been grossly violated,” the statement continued. “The activities that the government is carrying out are crimes against humanity. We’re demanding justice for these crimes.”

The students criticized the compromised state of the judiciary under Hasina’s government, stating that the judiciary is unable to function independently and that fair trials are unattainable.

Furthermore, the students demanded the resignations of several high-profile officials, including Transport Minister Obaidul Quader, ICT State Minister Zunaid Ahmed Palak, and the heads of the Bangladesh Police, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), and the Bangladesh Army. They also condemned biased journalists and media houses for spreading misinformation.

The students called for the Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL), the student wing of the Awami League, to be declared a terrorist organization. “The leaders and activists of this organization are misusing their power in various ways. They are involved in harassing, torturing, and even killing ordinary students. Chhatra League leaders and activists feel that they will never have to face trial. We demand that they be brought to justice,” the statement read.

Labeling Sheikh Hasina a dictator, the students appealed to the international community to hold her government accountable for human rights violations.

They urged Bangladeshi citizens to support the protests to ensure civil rights, democracy, and justice, and called on the international media to spotlight the barbarism of the Awami League and its BCL.

The universities represented in this collective demand include Ohio State University, Oklahoma State University, Pennsylvania State University, Purdue University, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Temple University, Drexel University, University of Pennsylvania, Villanova University, Texas State University, Texas Tech University, University of Alabama, University of Arkansas, University of Central Florida, University of Massachusetts Amherst, University of Missouri, University of Tennessee, University of Virginia, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, University of Arizona, University of Florida, University of Texas at Arlington, University of Texas at Austin, University of Texas at Dallas, University of Maryland, and Wayne State University.