At 3pm yesterday (5 March), on the second floor of Bishwo Shahitto Kendro in Banglamotor (Room 101), a discussion titled “The Horrors of Pellet Guns” was organised by Shopron (Safeguarding All Lives). The event aimed to highlight the devastating consequences of pellet gun usage during the July uprising and advocate for their prohibition in future.
The event commenced with a 22-minute-long documentary featuring the interviews of 11 victims from different age groups and professions who had suffered injuries from pellet guns. Even a seventh grader shared his harrowing experience of getting shot with pellet gun in his chest and arm. The discussion segment was initiated with an account from Waliul, a student injured in the July uprising. He not only shared his personal suffering but also recounted witnessing the death of a fellow comrade who had been hit by 300 to 400 pellets. Waliul himself sustained injuries in his left hand after taking a direct shot from police gun in capital’s Uttara on 18 July.
In his speech, Waliul urged the nation to pray for the victims, called for proper medical treatment for the injured, and demanded justice for the perpetrators. He further appealed for a ban on pellet guns to prevent future generations from enduring similar attacks.
Following his account, several distinguished speakers took the floor, including renowned photographer and social activist Shahidul Alam, prominent human rights advocate and UN Resident Coordinator in Bangladesh Huma Khan, barrister Sara Hossain, and PhD researcher at the University of California, Irvine, Khandaker Rakib.
Shahidul Alam, in his remarks, described the harrowing human rights violations of 2024, stating that while he had witnessed the Liberation War of 1971 and military rule, he had never before seen such brutality as in July. He further emphasised the urgent need for educational reform before addressing judicial, bureaucratic, and military restructuring.
Huma Khan, acknowledging the horrors of pellet guns, suggested alternative crowd control measures and stressed the importance of ensuring that security forces adhere to international guidelines. Barrister Sara Hossain urged that the tragic consequences of pellet gun usage be presented to the global community and called for collaboration with international human rights organisations.
PhD researcher Khandaker Rakib described the government’s use of pellet guns during the July uprising as a deliberate strategy of ocular control, systematically crippling citizens without outright killing them, thereby suppressing dissent while avoiding international scrutiny.
Later, several injured victims, including Raisul Rahman Ratul and Md. Noor Hossain, shared their experiences, demanding justice and calling for measures to prevent such atrocities from affecting future generations. Ratul was shot with pellet guns at a point-blank range and still contains 250 pellets in his body with his one kidney fully damaged and most of his abdomen removed. Noor lost 95% of capacity of his left eye.
The event concluded with a Q&A session, where journalists, lawyers, and security officials engaged in discussions on necessary reforms in law enforcement and governance.
In his closing remarks, Bhuiyan Asaduzzaman, representing Shopran, reaffirmed the organisation’s mission, stating, “We do not serve any government; rather, Shoproan will always work to safeguard the rights of citizens.”