The law enforcing agencies killed 111 people across the country in the last nine months between January 1 and September 30, said a report from Odhikar, a human rights organisation.

The report, released on Friday, said during the corresponding period in the previous year, around the law enforcers killed 56.

The report, based on newspaper reports, observed that during the nine months, the human rights situation of the country deteriorated markedly.

On the other hand, around 71 died in jail and police custody, the report mentioned.

According to the report, 395 were killed, 5004 were injured, 2436 were arrested and 22 abducted during the nine months for reasons related to politics and abuse.

The report observed that the government directed the police and the Bangladesh Rifles to initiate a crackdown following Awami League’s “April 30 ultimatum” to topple the government.

The crackdown continued between April 18 and April 25 in Dhaka. “The joint drive arrested about 8,500 people. The police released 2,000 of them after primary interrogation,” said the report.

However, according to the government, 6,494 persons were arrested during the eight-day drive, the report mentioned.

During the drive, 4,108 were shown arrested under section 86 of Dhaka Metropolitan Police, 161 under section 54 of Criminal Procedure, 324 under the section of criminal procedures, 819 on specific charges and 1,082 persons under the regular cases, the report said. The crackdown stopped on April 26.

The police started the wholesale arrest across the country again from September 23 continuing till September 29 on the eve of the Awami League’s anticipated showdown on October 3 in Dhaka.

In the September drive, the police rounded up about 5,748 persons including 2,027 form Dhaka. The drive was suspended following a High Court interim injunction issued on September 29 till the hearing of the application filed by four NGOs seeking injunction on the crackdown.

Though the mass arrests seemed to be politically motivated, some criminals were also arrested during the drive, said the report.
According to the report four journalists were killed, 99 injured, 4 arrested, 2 abducted, 25 harassed, 264 threatened, 23 attacked and 65 had cases were filed against them, during the nine months.

Around 673 women and children were raped during of which 90 were killed afterwards and 12 committed suicide. Acid was thrown on 193 including 136 women. Around 189 women were victims of dowry related incidents, of which 118 were killed, 51 harassed, 10 victims of acid while 9 committed suicide and one got divorced.

During the same period, around 1,249 children were abused, of which 292 were killed, 196 injured, 259 raped, 202 abducted, 29 arrested, 56 trafficked, 127 missing, 46 committed suicide and 42 had acid thrown on them.

Regarding human rights violation in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, the Odhikar report said around 35 were killed, 177 injured, 105 abducted, 84 arrested and three were missing.

Source: Matamat.com