'Why should they live?'

Drug dealers and addicts should be killed by firing squads in every district, said Mostafizar Rahman Fizar, minster for primary and mass education.

Any political party that disagrees with the policy should be boycotted, he said at a rally in Parbatipur upazila of Dinajpur.

His comments come amid criticisms over frequent killings of people in so-called gunfights with law enforcers. At least 231 people have been shot killed since May 4 when a nationwide crackdown on drugs began.

Rab and police have said the dead were drug dealers and gave strikingly similar accounts of how they were killed. But in many cases, family members said the dead were never accused in any drugs-related case. Family members of the dead people also said law enforcers picked them up before they got killed.

Mostafizar, lawmaker of Dinajpur, was addressing the rally organised by the Department of Narcotics  Control.

“From October 1, on a field, a large field, in every district by a firing squad, they will be shot, whoever's children they may be -- be them carriers [of drugs] or whatever. There will be a declaration of 'fire'. And they will all fall to the ground together,” he said.

To achieve that goal, he said all political parties should be called for a meeting to reach consensus.

“The party that says, 'I don't agree,' should be boycotted.”

He also added that drug dealers and users would not correct themselves if they are given “chances”. “Why should they be allowed live? There is no need for them.”

He then urged the departments concerned not to go soft on drugs dealers and addicts.

Narcotics department Director General Jamal Uddin Ahmed and Additional Director Masud Hossain among other were present at the rally.