The United Nations human rights office on Wednesday estimated that up to 1,400 people may have been killed in Bangladesh over three weeks last summer in a crackdown on student-led protests against the now-ousted former prime minister.

Former Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina and her government tried to cling on to power using systematic, deadly violence against protesters that could amount to "crimes against humanity", the UN has said.

GENEVA: Bangladesh’s former government was behind systematic attacks and killings of protesters as it tried to hold onto power last year, the UN said Wednesday, warning the abuses could amount to “crimes against humanity”.

The United Nations has accused Bangladesh’s ousted regime, led by former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, of potentially committing crimes against humanity during the brutal handling of last year’s protests that reportedly killed 1,