Stop killing in the name of war on drugs

Gonojagoron Mancha spokesperson Imran H Sarker yesterday urged the government to stop extrajudicial killings in the name of the ongoing anti-drug crackdown.

He said this to journalists after failing to stage a protest rally in front of the national museum in Dhaka.

The platform was scheduled to hold the programme under the banner “Nirbichare Khuner Biruddhe Bangladesh (Bangladesh against extra-judicial killings)” at 4:00pm on the venue but could not do so due to obstruction from law enforcers.

“The government is keeping people away from organising any protest against extra-judicial killings. This shows Bangladesh is now under autocratic rule. It seems that they do not have any accountability to the people,” he said.

When asked, Azimul Haque, additional deputy commissioner (Ramna zone) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP), said Imran did not take permission from the law enforcement agencies to hold the rally.

Imran said they support the drive, but not the killings; no one should die without undergoing trial, no matter how big the criminal is.

He said, “Petty drug sellers and drug addicts are being the victim of this crackdown, while many 'big fishes' involved in drug rackets are going scot-free. Some of them are given the chance to go abroad.”

“If the government wants to be cordial about the drive, it has to bring the big fishes under trial instead of arresting drug addicts,” he added.

He alleged that some government officials and law enforcers were involved with drug rackets.

Imran also condemned the blocking the website of an English national daily for about 20 hours for publishing an unverified audio of an extra-judicial killing victim and his family members. “This incident is a threat to press freedom,” he said.

He announced to organise a protest rally on June 6.

Meanwhile, a section of Dhaka University students under the banner “Students Against Repression” formed a human chain on the campus protesting extra-judicial killings.

At least 129 people were killed in so-called shootouts with law enforcers across the country in 19 days till June 2. The anti-narcotics drive began on May 4.