Civil Aviation Minister Rashed Khan Menon yesterday rightly described the death of militant suspects in so-called "crossfire" and "gun battle" as weakness and failure of the law-enforcement agencies.

Speaking in a discussion on the proposed budget in parliament, he also echoed many others' views that such extrajudicial killings are not a solution to rising militancy.

His remarks have merit as the extrajudicial killings by the law enforcers in last 12 years could not ensure sustainable improvement in law and order. People do not feel safer more than they were 12 years ago.

Extrajudicial killings of some criminals or militant suspects may bring a temporary respite. But the vacuum created after their deaths is filled up with emergence of new criminals and militants.

Exercise of unlawful means by the law enforcers also damages their morale and destroys their efficacy and professionalism. They prefer a shortcut solution to any problems -- like killings -- instead of unearthing through investigation the reasons behind any crime or law and order slide.

It also creates a very dangerous situation when the law enforcers themselves prefer not to abide by the law. Therefore, unlawful killings are proved as an ineffective means to ensure people's safety. We are exactly facing such a situation in Bangladesh.

Extrajudicial killings by the law enforcers had initially been considered as a necessary and short-term expedient during the past BNP-led government to improve law and order in 2004.

This was revealed by the then second-in-command of Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) during a June 2005 conversation with some US embassy officials in Dhaka, according to a US diplomatic dispatch from Dhaka.

They had met Chowdhury Fazlul Bari, additional director general of Rab, to get some insights into the situation following domestic and international outcry against the unlawful killings by the law-enforcement agencies including Rab since 2004.

The then US ambassador in Dhaka Patricia A Butenis sent the cable to Washington in April 2006, which was leaked and posted on whistleblower website WikiLeaks in 2011.

Brigadier General Bari was an influential figure during the 2007-08 tenure of military-backed caretaker regime.

What Bari described a "short-term expedient" in 2005 seems to have become a permanent practice.

On average, 150 people were killed in extrajudicial means every year in last 12 years in the name of measures to improve law and order.

But the killings of around 1,800 people that way in last 12 years could not ensure a sustainable improvement. The latest spate of secret killings has rather put people in a state of panic.

And in such a situation, the unlawful action of extrajudicial killings has been taking place in the country. As many as 14 people have so far been killed in "gunfight" this month. Of them, seven were militant suspects.

The long-term negative impact of extrajudicial killings on the country's legal system and governance is immense.

According to the existing legal system, it is the mandate of the judiciary to determine who is a criminal and who is not and punish the criminals according to the offence they have committed.

But in case of every extrajudicial killing, the country's legal system has been made redundant. The state brings down itself to the level of alleged criminals and militant suspects to punish them unlawfully, exposing a fragile state of governance.

This is acceptable nowhere in the world.

The Election Commission asked the government to take necessary steps so that no one can take up or enforce any political programmes other than what is needed for electioneering from December 18.

The commission sent a letter to the Senior Secretary of Public Security Division of Ministry of Home Affairs with the instruction today.

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In the letter, the EC said that the 12th parliamentary election will be held on January 7 and candidates will be able to conduct campaigning from December 18.

"It is desired that all should be refrain from taking and implementing any kind of meeting, rally, or any other political programmes that may obstruct the election or discourage voters from voting," the letter said.

"Under these circumstances, it was requested to take necessary measures to prevent all from taking and implementing any kind of meeting, rally or any other political programmes, other than campaigning for the election, from December 18 till the end of the election," it added.

New Social Welfare Minister Rashed Khan Menon today said the next parliamentary elections will be different and difficult than the previous ones as “all political parties including BNP are likely to join it”.

Menon, also president of the Workers Party, said this while addressing a press conference at Jatiya Press Club this morning. 

The minister came up with the remark, two days after BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia categorically said her party would contest the national elections but the polls must be held under an interim non-partisan administration. 

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Meanwhile, in reply to a query on his transfer to another ministry, Menon said he ran the civil aviation and tourism ministry successfully.

Yesterday, Menon was transferred to social welfare ministry from civil aviation and tourism, a decision of which he had no clue until an official announcement.

The next parliamentary election is expected to take place in late 2018.

Without mentioning Awami League name, Menon also said that it would be suicidal if anyone in the AL-led 14-party grand alliance takes go alone policy regarding the next election. 

He announced a 21-point programme as part of his party’s plan for the country’s different sectors including road, transport, communication, agriculture and education etc.

Workers Party will hold a rally at the Suhrawardy Udyan on February 3, he said.