It is shocking that extrajudicial killings had been carried out allegedly by our law enforcement agencies under the deposed Sheikh Hasina-led regime.
The law enforcement officials had all along maintained that the deaths in the incidents were results of either ‘gunfight’ or ‘crossfire’ and are not intentional at all.
According to the data of Ain O Salish kendro, one thousand 926 people were victims of extrajudicial killings during the last 15 years of the Awami League government.
It’s not just the numbers, behind every incident there is a story of a life taken, a family’s pain and suffering.
There was no district in the country where extrajudicial killings had not taken place. There are many political leaders and workers among them.
However, some of them were allegedly drug dealers, criminals or terrorists.
It is to be noted that extrajudicial killings do not have any kind of legal basis, and thus, are entirely unlawful.
All citizens are equal before the law and have the right to defend their lives and properties against any offence affecting them.
Even if someone commits a crime, no one can be killed before trial.
The stories of gunfights that had been orchestrated in these extrajudicial killings by law enforcement agencies were unbelievable.
Almost every incident repeats the same statement — accused admits to possessing illegal weapons after being arrested and is killed when law enforcement officers attack the scene and return fire while retrieving the weapon.
Sadly, in most cases, the victimized families did not have the courage to file a case. Some had allegedly been harassed and threatened while trying to bring cases to court.
More or less extrajudicial killings have also taken place during all the governments in Bangladesh.
However, during the Awami League tenure, the level of extrajudicial killings increased so much that the United States imposed sanctions against seven RAB officials, including former IGP Benazir Ahmed, on the question of human rights violations. In a country where there is rule of law, extrajudicial killings cannot continue.
Hence, every extrajudicial killing that has taken place so far should be properly investigated, and the responsible persons should be brought to justice.
And this should be done in order to make the law enforcement officers accountable for their wrongdoing.