On their instructions, the law enforcers have been oppressing political leaders, journalists and women across the country, he said at a discussion on 'Human rights violation during the fundamentalist and communal alliance government'.

He also demanded trial of them and confiscation of property they have amassed through illegal means.

The Forum for Secular Bangladesh organised the discussion at the Women's Voluntary Association (WVA) auditorium in the city on the occasion of 77th birth anniversary of Shaheed Janani Jahanara Imam.

The speakers called for making a list of those responsible for human rights violations during the rule of the four-party alliance government and bringing them to justice.

Not only the members of law enforcement agencies, but also those who directed them to resort to repression should be on the list, they said.

Such list should be made public through the media, Justice KM Sobhan said, adding that those responsible for human rights violations should be boycotted socially until they are brought to book.

Opposition leaders and workers, religious minorities and even women have fallen victim to torture by the ruling party men since October 1 in 2001, he said.

Awami League presidium member Tofail Ahmed said the defeated forces of 1971 have become active again -- they are now oppressing and killing the pro-liberation forces to take revenge.

He alleged that there are 27,000 cadres of ruling BNP and Jamaat in the police administration and they are serving the interest of their parties by torturing opposition leaders and workers.

Workers' Party President Rashed Khan Menon, acting president of the Forum Shahriar Kabir, Bangladesh Mahila Parishad President Hena Das, journalist Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury, Prof Md Anwar Hossain and two victims of police brutality -- Advocate Shahin Sultana Shanta and Sabina Akhtar Tuhin -- also spoke.