Call to stop extra-judicial killing

A total of 73 eminent citizens yesterday strongly protested the extra-judicial killings and demanded an immediate end to such practice.

The Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) and the police are carrying out such killings in the country under the cover of 'crossfire', 'encounter' and 'gunfight' even during an elected democratic government, they said in a statement.

The also demanded that the government identify the persons involved in such practice and bring them to book.

"We are deeply concerned that senior ministers are supporting and patronising extra-judicial killings in violation of their electoral pledges, creating a chaotic situation in the country," the statement reads.

As many as 100 people have been killed in such actions during the last nine months of the present government, they added.

They also warned that this type of killing in the name of ensuring law and order will only corrode the rule of law and promote fascism.

The signatories to the statement include Badaruddin Umar, president of Jatiya Mukti Council, Prashit Bikash Khisha, president of United People's Democratic Front (UPDF), writers Shawkat Ali and Hasan Azizul Haque, cultural activists Mamunur Rashid and Nasir Uddin Yusuff, artist Murtaza Bashir, Prof KAM Saad Uddin, Prof Aqmal Hossain, Abul Qushem Fazlul Haque, Dr Kaberi Gayen and Shameem Reza of Dhaka University, Prof Anu Mohammad of Jahangirnagar University, Shahidul Islam of Rajshahi University, Advocate Adilur Rahman Khan, Dr T Ali and Hasan Fakri, convenor of Ganasangskriti Parishad.