<%-- Page Title--%> Law book review <%-- End Page Title--%>

January 2, 2005

Bangladesh

Death by law enforcing agencies

238 killed in hands of law enforcers last year

According to the annual report of Odhikar 238 people were killed at the hands of law enforcers last year and of them, 147 alone were killed in 'crossfire' involving various law enforcing agencies including Rab.

Odhikar, a human rights watch, in its report also said 522 people were killed in political violence last year while in the previous year (2003) the number was 436.

The Odhikar report, prepared on the basis of reports published in leading national dailies, observed that the higher number of political killings as well as killings in 'crossfire' last year accounted for the 'much-worsened human rights conditions in the country'.

According to the report, 62 people were killed in 'crossfire' with Rapid Action Battalion while 76 in 'crossfize' with police and seven with anti-crime outfits Cheetah and Cobra.

Police and members of Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) arrested as many as 8,500 people in between April 18 and 30 in the run-up to the 'April 30 deadline' given by the main opposition Awami League (AL) to oust the government. Of the arrestees, 2000 were released after quizzing while the rest were sent to jail through courts.

The report also said that police arrested 5748 people across the country during September 23-29, ahead of the October 3 mass rally by AL.

Last year saw five journalists killed and 111 injured in the line of duty. Bmsides, 292 newsmen received thrmats from different quarters, the Odhikar report mentioned adding that in the same period 866 women and children were raped and of them, 116 were killed following rape.

January 01, The Daily Star.