Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday (August 01, 2024) said the United Nations and any country can send their experts for the proper investigation of every incident of the recent violence related to the quota reform movement. “I want everything to be investigated. Because, it needs to be found out what happened behind it and how these happened. I’ve appealed to the United Nations to send their experts. If any other country wants, they can send their experts too,” she said. The premier said this while addressing a voluntary blood donation programme, discussion and doa mahfil, arranged by Bangladesh Krishak League at the auditorium of Krishibid Institution Bangladesh in the city's Farmgate, on the occasion of the National Mourning Day. She said, “I want these incidents to be investigated properly. We’ll have to take action against the culprits no matter who they are.” The Awami League President, Sheikh Hasina, said she formed a one-member judicial enquiry committee, without waiting for any demand in this regard, in a bid to investigate the killings of six people in the violence initially. Later she upgraded it to a three-member committee to expand its scope when a larger number of incidents occurred, said the PM. She said her government has brought the status of a developing country for Bangladesh. “But today the image of Bangladesh worldwide is being tarnished by carrying out false propaganda and such militant acts. I’m leaving it to the people to judge it,” she added. PM Hasina visits Kurmitola Hospital to see the injured of recent violence Hasina, the eldest daughter of Bangabandhu, said the father of the nation is no more today but her government has built the country following his ideals. But these developments were destroyed and the lives of people were snatched. "They (the perpetrators) would be tried one day. This is why I want it to be investigated internationally and a fair trial to be held,” she said. The prime minister said not a single militant incident occurred after the Holey Artisan attack in Bangladesh due to the vigilance of the law enforcement agencies. The law enforcers sacrificed their lives but freed Bangladesh from militancy, she said. “But today they showed ugly teeths of militancy in the banner of the quota movement,” she said. PM seeks public help to resist Jamaat-Shibir as militant organisation: The premier said there should be no place for militancy and terrorism in Bangladesh and their main strength is Jamaat-e Islami and Shibir. “They (Jamaat-Shibir) will be banned under the clause 18 of Anti-Terrorism Act, 2009 so that they won’t have any social dignity,” she said. She said they would try to carry out destruction again as militants. “At that time, all will have to try to resist them as a militant organisation and save the people (from their hands). All will have to do it in unison,” she said. “There would be no room for militants in the land of Bangladesh. We all will have to stay vigilant in this regard. I seek cooperation from the people of the country to stay vigilant in this matter,” she went on. PM blasts intellectuals for supporting movement: It was like a terrorist attack to topple the govt: PM Hasina tells Indian envoy on quota violence Sheikh Hasina questioned what the rationale was for the continuation of movement when 100 percent demand was fulfilled. Noting different brutal incidents carried out in the name of movement, she also questioned what type of mayhem and movement it was. She criticised a section of intellectuals for supporting the movement. “Many of our knowleagble personalities, dignitaries and intellectuals continue giving their support to this movement. What support are they giving? The demand has already been fulfilled completely,” she said. She said conducting sabotages in this way in the name of a quota movement is nothing but acts of militancy. At the outset of the programme, one-minute silence was observed in memory of the departed souls of Father of the Nation Bangabanddhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and other martyrs of the 15th August 1975 carnage. In the event, a special prayer was conducted praying for the salvation of the departed souls of the martyrs of the 15th August 1975 carnage and the people who were killed in the recent mayhem centring the movement for quota reform in the public service jobs. AL advisory council member Advocate Yousuf Hossain Humaiyun and AL agriculture and cooperatives secretary Faridun Nahar Laily MP spoke on the occasion. Bangladesh Krishak League President Samir Chanda delivered the welcome speech in the event moderated by its general secretary Umme Kulsum. Six quota protest coordinators released from DB custody

North Korea is continuing to steal hundreds of millions of dollars from financial institutions and cryptocurrency firms and exchanges, illicit money that is an important source of funding for its nuclear and missile programs, U.N. experts said in a report quoting cyber specialists. The panel of experts said that according to an unnamed government, North Korean “cyber-actors stole more than $50 million between 2020 and mid-2021 from at least three cryptocurrency exchanges in North America, Europe and Asia, probably reflecting a shift to diversify its cybercrime operations.” And the experts said in the report’s section on cyber activities obtained Sunday by The Associated Press that an unidentified cybersecurity firm reported that in 2021 the North’s “cyber-actors stole a total of $400 million worth of cryptocurrency through seven intrusions into cryptocurrency exchanges and investment firms.” These cyberattacks “made use of phishing lures, code exploits, malware, and advanced social engineering to siphon funds out of these organizations’ internet-connected ‘hot’ wallets into DPRK-controlled addresses,” the panel said, using the initials of the country’s official name, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. The cryptocurrency funds stolen by the DPRK cyber actors “go through a careful money laundering process in order to be cashed out,”″ the panel of experts monitoring sanctions on North Korea said in the report to the U.N. Security Council. A year ago, the panel quoted an unidentified country saying North Korea’s “total theft of virtual assets from 2019 to November 2020 is valued at approximately $316.4 million.” In the executive summary of the new report, the experts said North Korea has continued to develop its nuclear and ballistic missile programs. “Although no nuclear tests or launches of ICBMs were reported, DPRK continued to develop its capability for production of nuclear fissile materials,” the panel said. Those fissile materials — uranium or plutonium — are crucial for a nuclear reaction. The experts noted “a marked acceleration” of North Korean missile launches through January that used a variety of technology and weapons. The experts said North Korea “continued to seek material, technology and know-how for these programs overseas, including through cyber means and joint scientific research.” Read: Russian bombers fly over Belarus amid Ukraine tensions A year ago, the panel said North Korea had modernized its nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles by flaunting United Nations sanctions, using cyberattacks to help finance its programs and continuing to seek material and technology overseas for its arsenal including in Iran. “Cyberattacks, particularly on cryptocurrency assets, remain an important revenue source” for Kim Jong Un’s government, the experts monitoring the implementation of sanctions against the North said in the new report. In addition to its recent launches, North Korea has threatened to lift its four-year moratorium on more serious weapons tests such as nuclear explosions and launches of intercontinental ballistic missiles. The Security Council initially imposed sanctions on North Korea after its first nuclear test explosion in 2006 and toughened them in response to further nuclear tests and the country’s increasingly sophisticated nuclear and ballistic missile programs. The panel of experts said North Korea’s blockade aimed at preventing COVID-19 resulted in “historically low levels” of people and goods entering and leaving the country. Legal and illegal trade including in luxury goods “has largely ceased” though cross-border rail traffic resumed in early January, it said. The panel has previously made clear that North Korea remains able to evade sanctions and to illicitly import refined petroleum, access international banking channels and carry out “malicious cyber activities.” U.N. sanctions ban North Korean coal exports and the experts said in the new report that although coal exports by sea increased in the second half of 2021, “they were still at relatively low levels.” “The quantity of illicit imports of refined petroleum increased sharply in the same period, but at a much lower level than in previous years,” the panel said, adding that direct deliveries by non-North Korea tankers has ceased and only tankers from the North delivered oil, “a marked change of methodology” probably in response to COVID-19 measures. The experts said North Korea also continues to evade maritime sanctions “by deliberately obfuscated financial and ownership networks.” While the humanitarian situation in the country continues to worsen, the panel said the almost complete lack of information from the country makes it difficult to determine the “unintended humanitarian consequences of U.N. sanctions affecting the civilian population.”

UN experts have expressed their utmost concern over the situation of human rights defenders in Myanmar, and called for a stronger international response to the military coup, including coordinated sanctions and an arms embargo against the junta by an "emergency coalition of nations". “The brute force terror campaign we are witnessing in Myanmar continues to be directed towards human rights defenders,” said Mary Lawlor, the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, and Tom Andrews, the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar. Read:Myanmar: UN expert calls for emergency coalition to end junta's 'reign of terror' The experts highlighted credible information they had received concerning human rights defenders being forced into hiding after having arrest warrants issued against them under section 505(a) of the Myanmar Penal Code. Their homes were raided, their possessions seized, and family members threatened and harassed. Many others, unable to flee, have been arbitrarily arrested, including labour rights defenders and student activists. Lawyers representing people detained following the coup have themselves been detained, as have journalists covering the protests. “For years, human rights defenders have been doing essential work promoting human rights in the country,” Lawlor said. Read: Rights group: Facebook amplified Myanmar military propaganda ”Since the coup, and despite enforced internet blackouts along with difficulties accessing basic resources, especially for defenders forced into hiding or living in rural areas, they have been documenting the mass violations being perpetrated by the military. As a result, they have been targeted,” the expert said. “The people of Myanmar appreciate expressions of concern from the international community, but what they desperately need is action. It is critical that nations stand with and for the besieged people of Myanmar who are being held hostage by an illegal military junta. It is time for strong, focused and coordinate action that includes economic sanctions and an arms embargo,” added Andrews.

The UN human rights experts on Thursday deplored allegations of forced evictions, arbitrary detention and killings of pro-democracy protesters in Myanmar.

UN human rights experts on Friday called on the Myanmar military to immediately end the violent crackdown on countrywide peaceful protests against its coup and allow free expression.

American security contractor Erik Prince, a close ally of former U.S. President Donald Trump, violated the U.N. arms embargo against Libya along with three United Arab Emirates-based companies and their top managers during an operation to help a rebel military commander take the capital Tripoli, U.N. experts said.

UN human rights experts have warned of increased patterns of closing of digital spaces amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The global COVID-19 pandemic has pushed more than 250 million people to the brink of starvation and dashed hopes of eradicating extreme poverty by 2030, a UN expert said in a report published on Tuesday.

U.N. experts have recommended blacklisting 14 vessels for violating sanctions against North Korea in a report that accuses the country of increasing illegal coal exports, imports of petroleum products and continuing with cyber attacks on financial institutions and cryptocurrency exchanges to gain illicit revenue.

U.N. experts say North Korea has increased imports and exports of banned and restricted goods such as coal and petroleum products as it continues to enhance its illicit nuclear and ballistic missile programs in violation of sanctions.