THE United Nations human rights office said yesterday that the death toll from last summer’s crackdown on student-led protests in Bangladesh against the now-ousted prime minister may stand at 1,400 people.

Citing “various credible sources,” the Geneva-based office said the vast majority of dead protesters were shot by security forces, with thousands more injured, during the violent outbreak between July 1 and August 15 last year.

Security and intelligence services systematically engaged in rights violations that could amount to crimes against humanity and require further investigation, the office said.