Cops stick to pepper spray

Amid widespread criticism against the use of pepper spray on protesters, DMP Commissioner Benazir Ahmed yesterday said they will continue using it as an alternative to baton charge to minimise injuries and save the image of police.
He, however, said no expert opinion was sought on it before the import of the chemical compound from the USA.
“We are trying to avoid charging baton as journalists take photographs of such incidents and publish it in the media. As it tarnishes the image of police, we have bought pepper spray upon approval from the home ministry to make limited use of it for controlling unruly crowds and criminals," Benazir told a press briefing at the media centre of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP).
The DMP organised the briefing to explain the rationale for using the spray.
"As it is not a Bangladeshi product, we have no experienced person or expert who can give opinion on it. Accordingly, there is no authority for its approval," he mentioned, adding that the spray has been introduced with recommendations from the United Nations.
Claiming the spray is less harmful, the DMP chief said there is no risk of death from it. "Besides, there is no chance of it missing the target like the teargas shells."
On Thursday, a Supreme Court lawyer served a legal notice asking the government to direct police to stop using pepper spray on people within 24 hours.
The following day, Home Minister Muhiuddin Khan Alamgir said international conventions approve pepper spray as a tool for dispersing unlawful assembly and this is why nobody has the right to argue over its use.
According to the Wikipedia, a web-based encyclopaedia, the pepper spray is banned for use in war by Article I.5 of the Chemical Weapons Convention, which bans the use of all riot control agents in warfare whether lethal or less-than-lethal.
Also known as OC (Oleoresin Capsicum) spray, it is made of chilli. It irritates the eyes to cause tears, pain, and even temporary blindness. Its inflammatory effects cause the eyes to close, taking away vision, difficulty in breathing, runny nose, and coughing.
The Journal of Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science published a study that concluded that repeated exposure to pepper spray can result in long-lasting changes in corneal sensitivity.
Compared to the teargas shells, the effects of pepper spray are far more severe as it creates difficulties to breathe or speak for between three to 15 minutes. It also restricts the breathing passages, risking of death, said the Scientific and Technological Options Assessment (STOA) of the European Parliament.
The chemical compound is used in around 50 countries including six Asian -- Hong Kong, India, Iran, the Philippines, South Korea, and Singapore. In the USA, only a few states use it on a limited scale.