Dhaka, Feb. 12 -- The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) has revealed alarming evidence of widespread and severe human rights abuses occurring under the leadership of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, including extrajudicial killings, arbitrary arrests, torture, and the excessive use of force by security agencies and Awami League-linked elements.

The interim government has thanked the UN's Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) for undertaking the "most thorough independent investigation" to date of the events in Bangladesh in July and August. The OHCHR conducted its investigation at the invitation of Bangladesh's interim government.

"OHCHR finds that there are reasonable grounds to believe th...