, Feb. 12 -- Bangladesh's previous government and security and intelligence services, alongside violent elements associated with the Awami League, systematically engaged in a range of serious human rights violations during last year's student-led protests, says a report by the UN Human Rights Office released on Wednesday.

Drawing on testimony of senior officials and other evidence, it also found an official policy to attack and violently repress anti-government protesters and sympathisers, raising concerns as to crimes against humanity requiring urgent further criminal investigation.

Former senior officials directly involved in handling the protests and other inside sources described how the former Prime Minister - Sheikh Hasina and oth...