The Rab actions in recent times have nothing to do with the human rights issue, he maintained while taking questions from reporters at a routine press briefing at his office.

Some 60 people have so far been killed in 'crossfire' during Rab operations across the country in the last six months. Human-rights bodies have protested the deaths in Rab custody, although the police said most of the victims were wanted criminals.

On formation of the much-talked-about Human Rights Commission, the minister said a relevant law is waiting for cabinet clearance.

He observed that mere formation of a commission will not help much to protect human rights unless other complimentary measures like prison reforms and amendments to the existing laws are carried out.

During the briefing, the minister highlighted the government's performance in providing legal aid services to poor litigants from January 2002 to November 2004. During the time, the government accepted applications to provide legal aid in a total of 16,933 cases related to crime, women and children repression and dowry, he said.

Another 4,375 litigants involved in family, civil and jail appeal cases will receive similar aid, he added. The government entertained applications for legal aid in 759 dowry cases and 450 women and children repression related cases.

The government is going to appoint a 'duty counsel' at each court to ensure legal aid for litigants, the minister said.

The duty counsel will be a full-time official tasked to provide poor litigants with legal aid services free of cost, easily and conveniently, he said.

The legal aid office will be set up in phases down to the upazila level, judicial officers will be trained and awareness-building programmes carried out among local government representatives as part of measures to protect human rights, Moudud said.

State Minister for Law Shahjahan Omar, Secretary M Asaduzzaman and some other top officials were present at the briefing.