Tasmiah Nuhiya Ahmed of DOT
According to quarterly human rights analysis report, published by Human Right Support Society, between July and September of 2018, at least 121 people were extra-judicially killed most of the cases due to anti-drug drive. 117 were killed in the name of ‘crossfire/ gunfights’, 2 tortured to death and 2 died in the custody. Most of the incidents were in the name of anti-drug drive. On the other hand, 9 bodies of suspected drug peddlers were recovered after reported gun battles between rival groups during the countrywide anti-narcotic drives from July to September. On an average, around 41 people were killed in every month from July to September 2018. The data reveals that a significant number of people died in the name of crossfire in the between July and September 2018, due to anti-drug movement. Highest numbers of people 70 were killed extra-judicially in July while this rate was the lowest position in August and September.
Some important cases of extra-judicial killings between July to September of this year are:
On July 01, 2018, a Jubo League leader was killed in a so called “gunfight” with police at Kaemkola Bagmara Beel in Jhikorgachha upazila of Jessore. The deceased, Zahid Hasan Tokon, 32, son of Ali Aslam of Krishnanagar village under the upazila, was joint convener of Jhikorgachha upazila Jubo League. Victim’s father has alleged that police picked up his son Tokon from their rented house at Chachra area in Jessore town at around 9.30 pm on 29 June.
On July 09, 2018 a body of a 25-year-old was found with bullet wounds in Shariatpur Sadar upazila, two days after plainclothes men identifying as detectives allegedly picked him up from his house. The victim was identified as Kalu Sikder, 25, son of Siraj Sikder of Khalshi area. Kalu’s brother-in-law Suruj Sikder said several plainclothes men, identifying themselves as detectives, handcuffed him and took him away in a white microbus on 06 July evening. “We went to Sadar Police Station to file a general diary but the police refused to register it. Later, after receiving information from locals, we identified his body at the hospital,” he said.
On Sep 28, 2018, a teenage boy was allegedly tortured to death by police in Ananda Bazar area of Zanjira upazila of Shariatpur. The deceased was identified as Pavel Sheikh, son of Abdur Rouf Sheikh of village Krishnanagar Purbakajikandi in Bibeknagar union. Pavel had sat for his Higher Secondary Certificate examination this year from Bibeknagar Bangabandhu College. Victim’s family members alleged that when Pavel and his cousin Shanta Sheikh were standing by a road in the marketplace area, a police team approached them. A policeman got down from the police vehicle and started checking the pockets of Pavel’s trousers. At one stage, the policeman began beating Pavel until he collapsed onto the ground. The police team then took the college boy to Shariatpur Sadar Hospital where doctors declared him dead.
On July 30, 2018, an alleged drug peddler was killed in a “gunfight” with RAB in the capital’s Mohammadpur. The victim, Rajon, 25, also known as “Ganja Rajon”, stood accused in at least 15 drug-related cases, said Rabiul Islam, operations officer of RAB-2.
On August 07, 2018, a suspected drug peddler was killed in a so called gunfight with members of RAB in Sundarganj upazila of Gaibandha. The deceased was identified as Abdus Salam.
On Aug 07, 2018, a suspected drug peddler was killed in a reported gunfight with members of RAB in Komalla village of Chauddagram in Comilla. The deceased was identified as Faruk hossen, 35, son of Md Mantaz Mia of the same village.
On August 13, 2018, a man was killed by DB police in Rangunia upazila of Chittagong, a day after he had allegedly been picked up. The deceased was identified as Altaf, 40, and found in a bush beside a road, said his brother Sumayun Kabir Suman, a Jubo League leader. Suman’s brother of Altaf Hossen, president of Mariam Nagar union unit of Jubo League, claimed his brother was vice president of the local unit of Awami League. Altaf was killed by law enforcers, he claimed.
On September 04, 2018, suspected drug peddlers were killed in a so called gunfights between law enforcers and their “associates” in Shariatpur. The victim is Suman Pahar, 25, from Uttar Baluchar village in Shariatpur municipality. His family claimed that some plainclothes men had picked up Suman in front of a shop of their village on 28 Oct.
From all these cases, it is evident that extrajudicial killings have become a very common phenomenon in Bangladesh. These killings are not only a gross violation of human rights but also a breach of rule of law and abdication of the legal process. It has sternly mottled the image of the country.
We hope that these issues will be taken of more seriously by the next government to be formed after the 11th parliamentary election.
The writer is Executive Editor, Daily Our Time