Some hard facts
On February 28, 2014 in the annual human rights report of the USA, Secretary of State, John Kerry disclosed the condition of Bangladesh in the 42 page report. In it many facts were revealed mentioning that in Bangladesh political violence is going on, human rights are being violated by the law-enforcing agents, people are arrested on flimsy grounds, keeping them behind bars for many days before they are produced in the court.
It is also said that in the recent years, the number of people killed by the law-enforcing agents were not disclosed by the government. In the first nine months of 2013, at least 146 people were killed in the hands of the law enforcing agents including RAB. The government claimed it as crossfire, encounter killing, or gunfight. In 2012 the number of people killed were 70. On February 24, 2012 during hartal, police opened fire on the demonstrators. As a result, 5 people died, but the dead people did not belong to any political party. There were accusations of the government’s wrongdoings on many other issues also.
The DMP Commissioner and the State Minister for Home Affairs claimed that these facts are not true. But, we who live here know better than that as we are not sitting with our eyes shut-off and ears closed. All the facts disclosed in the report is absolutely correct. Instead of denying it, the government must face the facts and make amends.
Nur Jahan
Chittagong
