Staff Reporter :Chairman of National Human Rights Commission [NHRC] Dr Mizanur Rahman on Thursday said the chain of command of police force has broken down while some members of the law-enforcing agency are often going violent.”I urge the policemen to maintain restrain and show respect to the human rights,” he came up with the observations after seeing Nafiz Salam, an alleged activist of Hizb-ut-Tahrir who recently got injured in police gunfire, at Dhaka Medical College and Hospital (DMCH).Nafiz, reportedly an innocent youth, was shot by the police at Iqbal Road in the city’s Mohammadpur area while taking part in a rally protesting anti-religion remarks of former minister Abdul Latif Siddiqui on September 17. The police, however, termed him a member of Hijbut Tahirir, a banned Islamist militant outfit, and allegedly fired from a point-blank range. Nafiz has been undergoing treatment at the DMCH since the incident took place. Dr Mizanur stayed at the hospital for about 20 minutes and talked to the doctors about Nafiz’s physical condition.”Some police personnel of a particular district are involved in anti-disciplinary activities and tarnishing the image of the government…. Police shot Nafiz from a close distance, although a police officer cannot shoot a citizen in such a way,” he noted.”Point blank firing is barbaric and uncivilized. Who give the direction to the police to fire in such a way? ” he questioned.Expressing dissatisfaction, he said, “There was no incident that compelled the police personnel to shoot for own safety. Not only that, the police compelled to sit him on the ground and shot him from point blank range.””Legal action must be taken against the police personnel who are violating human rights. I will send a letter to the Home Ministry in this regard,” he added. “If the government does not take any action then the issue will be taken to the honorable President,” the NHRC boss warned.
