Staff Reporter :The rising incidents of killings in the name of “gunfight,” “crossfire” and “encounter” by the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and the police have generated concern and ire among local rights groups and political and civil society leaders.Describing it as ‘extrajudicial killings,’ they said, such killings by the law-enforcing agencies continue despite repeated assurance by the government to stop this.They have also called for a fair investigation into the recent spate of ‘extrajudicial killings’ to establish rule of law and protect human rights.Odhikar, a local human rights group, has reported 111 cases of extrajudicial killings, including crossfire and shot to dead, by the members of the law-enforcing agencies between January and July this year.”Extrajudicial killing is a short-cut solution to long-term problem and I never support such a solution,” Major General (Retd.) Syed Muhammad Ibrahim, Bir Protik, told The New Nation on Friday.He said, crossfire, gunfight and encounter are staged drama to kill the criminals. It is a temporary solution which is not acceptable.”We may revise the existing laws. We may devise ways of expediting prosecutions but never resort to extrajudicial killings. Once such revisions are made, it may lead us to a permanent solution”. When asked, General Ibrahim, a politician, said that extrajudicial killing would make the government hostage in the hands of the law-enforcing agencies. It also tarnishes image of both the government and forces.”Extrajudicial killing is unethical and unconstitutional. It is also utter violation of human rights,” Sultana Kamal, Executive Director of Ain o Salish Kendra told The New Nation yesterday.She said, although many people believe that extrajudicial killings reduce crime, in reality, it can neither bring peace nor eradicate terrorism or crimes, but encourages lack of control and aggravates state terrorism. Sultana Kamal, a former Adviser of the caretaker government, expressed concern over the extrajudicial killings in the name of crossfire saying that it must be stopped. Every person has the right to get proper judgment that upholds our constitution.She also stressed the need for a fair probe in all such incidents to establish rule of law and rights of the citizens. “Incidents of extrajudicial killings by law enforcement agencies are on. But none of the incidents was investigated. These cases must be investigated and the perpetrators are to be brought under effective justice,” advocate Elina Khan, a human rights activist told The New Nation on Friday.Such killings cannot be acceptable because it is in deliberate defiance of Bangladesh’s Constitution and the international human rights conventions of which the country is a party. “The law and justice delivery system of the country is becoming increasingly questionable and human rights are seriously violated due to the persistence of extrajudicial killings,” she added.Elina Khan further said that the government should ensure proper control of the security forces to stop killings of suspected criminals by them. It should order an independent and credible investigation into these deaths to make forces and come out the culture of impunity.”The authorities of law-enforcement agencies must follow the international guidelines while using their force and firearms and explain all incidents of killings allegedly perpetrated by the members of security forces to prove their accountability and integrity,” he noted.Officials, however, said that killings by the force are happening as part of a crackdown on crime across the country. Such extrajudicial killings are being used as a policing technique and a way to release the burden on courts when criminals mostly ruling party men go unpunished having connections with party’s high-ups. Following rising incidents of murder, extortions and crimes, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal told media that the government would adopt a zero tolerance approach towards crime to maintain law and order in the country.After his warning, the members of law-enforcing agencies have again resorted to extrajudicial killings, leading to rising number of deaths of suspected criminals in shootout.With the continuation of such events, Saidul Islam, a former Jubo League leader, was killed in a so called “gunfight” with Detective Branch (DB) of Police in South Salna area in Gazipur on Thursday night.Deceased Saidul Islam, 35, was the former President of Jubo League’s Ward no 97 in Dhaka’s Badda area. Saidul was the fourth Awami League man to be killed in what law enforcers claimed “gunfights” in the last few days.According to police, Shahidul was the prime suspect of Badda triple murder case. Before this incident, Arzu Mia, the prime suspect in the teenage boy Raja murder case, and Mehedi Hasan Azibar, an accused of shooting a pregnant woman in Magura, were killed in separate gunfights with the law enforcers.Arzu was killed in a “gunfight” between the members of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and his accomplices at Hazaribagh in old Dhaka early Tuesday.In another gunfight with police at Doarpar in Magura town early Tuesday, Azibar alias Azibar Sheikh, a Jubo League leader, who was allegedly involved with shooting a pregnant woman, was killed.On Wednesday, Zakir Hossain, a ruling party activist, who was allegedly involved with the August 15 infighting that left one dead in Kushtia, was killed in a “gunfight” with police in the district town.Police said Zakir, son of Abdur Razzak of Mirpur upazila, was an activist of the AL affiliated body Swechchhasebak League.
