4 'criminals' killed in 'shootout' with cops
With four people killed in a “shootout” with law enforcers in Meherpur yesterday, the number of victims of such extrajudicial killing reached 51 in the first two and half months of this year, amid growing concerns of rights organisations.
Thirty-two people had become victims of “gunfight” in the first three months of last year, according to Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK). The rights body says the total number of victims was 195 last year against 192 in 2015.
Yesterday's “shootout” in Meherpur Sadar took place a week after Law Minister Anisul Huq in a dialogue with UN Human Rights Committee in Geneva reiterated Bangladesh's commitment to make further efforts in realising the civil and political rights of its people.
Those killed in the “gunfight” were former cadres of Lal Pataka, a faction of outlawed Purbo Banglar Communist Party, said police. They are Saddam Hossain, 25, Ramesh, 24, Sohag, 27, and Kanon, 25, of Sonapur village in the upazila. Of them, Saddam and Sohag were accused in a double murder case.
Police claimed that six of their men were also hurt in the incident.
Anisul, who led a high level delegation to the dialogue, promised that the government will continue promoting human rights education and awareness to foster a culture where these rights are respected everywhere.
However, the incidents of "shootout" or “gun-battle” or “crossfire” continue to take place in the country.
According to ASK, 18 people were killed in “shootout” in January, 17 in February and 16 in the first 14 days of March this year.
Thirty-eight of the incidents had the involvement of police, seven of Rab and the rest of some other law enforcement agencies.
Until yesterday, 11 people have become victims of enforced disappearance across the country this year. Of them, eight were released later, said ASK.
Terming such killings gross violations of human rights, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and different other rights organisations at home and abroad have long been demanding an end to them.
Talking to The Daily Star, Nur Khan Liton, acting executive director of ASK, said they have been demanding that the government forms a judicial inquiry commission to investigate the incidents of extrajudicial killings and forced disappearances.
"But the government hasn't taken any visible step. A culture of impunity has been created in the society and members of the law enforcement agencies are taking its benefits.”
The recurrence of such incidents would come down if the culprits are brought to book, he said, calling for ensuring discipline and transparency in the law enforcement agencies.
NHRC Chairman Kazi Reazul Hoque said, "The state must stop these types of extrajudicial killings. The state has to deal with the issue with an iron hand.
"We expressed our concern over the matter in the past. And we are still very much worried,” he told The Daily Star yesterday.
The government must stop this extrajudicial killing or shootout and ensure that people's human rights are not violated, he added.
Asked why such killings continue unabated, Kazi Reazul said, "There are several reasons. But whatever the reasons are, this is not at all expected. We are extremely concerned over the matter as anyone can be the victim.”
The US State Department, in its 2016 human rights report, said the most significant human rights problems in Bangladesh were extrajudicial killings, arbitrary or unlawful detentions, and forced disappearances by government security forces.
"The government took limited measures to investigate and prosecute cases of abuse and killing by security forces..." said the report, which was released on March 3.
On several occasions, Human Rights Watch urged the government to take immediate steps to disband Rapid Action Battalion for the force's alleged involvement in extrajudicial killings and forced disappearances.
The government, however, denies the existence of extrajudicial killing in the country.
Reiterating the claim on February 28, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan told parliament, “Our government does not support or encourage extrajudicial killing anyway.”
MEHERPUR 'SHOOTOUT'
Abdullah Al Mahmud, additional superintendent of police in Meherpur, said a team of Meherpur police was patrolling an area near Nurpur intersection around 2:30am yesterday. Suddenly, they saw a group of seven to eight people fleeing from there.
The law enforcers chased them. At one point, the criminals fired twice at the law enforcers, prompting police to fire back that triggered the “gunfight”, said Mahmud.
Later, four bodies were found lying at the spot. The others escaped.
The four were brought dead to Meherpur General Hospital around 4:00am, said Abu Ehsan, a physician at the hospital. Their bodies were riddled with bullets.
Six policemen, including Assistant Superintendent of Police Ahsan Habib, were hurt in the incident. They also took treatment at the hospital, said police.
Anisur Rahman, superintendent of police in Meherpur, said the four “criminals” were former cadres of Lal Pataka and were involved in various criminal activities.
Two of the criminals -- Saddam and Sohag -- had been absconding in cases filed in connection with the killings of two Awami League activists and businessmen Abdul Mazid and Asadul of Sonapur village in Meherpur, the district police boss told a press briefing.
Mazid and Asadul were killed on March 6, he added.
Meanwhile, Saddam's mother Aklima Khatun told local reporters that her son was working as a construction labourer and had been missing for last four days.
The family members of other deceased could not be reached for comments.
[Our Kushtia correspondent Amanur Aman contributed to the report]
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