Legal procedures should be followed to curb crimes

AMIDST unbearable waiting for near and dear one’s return, the victims’ family members on Monday observed the International Human Rights Day in Bangladesh and elsewhere in the world. This year, Bangladeshi rights campaigner Ain O Salish Kendra (ASK) recorded death of 406 people in ‘shootouts’ between January and November 30, highest in a decade.
ASK said during the drives at least 261 alleged drug dealers were killed. Undeniably, extra-judicial killings are the gross violation of human rights, the Constitution guaranteed fundamental rights, and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights adopted in 1966 and ratified by Bangladesh in 2000. The ASK said the overall human rights situation in the country declined this year with additional incidents of violence against women and children. What’s most interesting is that, the human rights defender National Human Rights Commission was found inactive.
We think, all the killings should be properly investigated and the perpetrators should be tried as nobody has any right to kill people indiscriminately in the name of drive against crimes. The practice of breaking the law in the name of enforcing law is totally unjustified and has no place in a democratic society governed by the rule of law. The sudden rise of killings during Anti-Drug Raids may raise question in the public mind. Apart from applying extreme force, there remain laws and mechanisms to control hardcore crimes, including drug trade, in the country. It is very shocking why these are not working.
Sometimes, we see the authorities use shortcut ways to improve law and order. But to reduce criminal activities, the authorities need to follow the legal procedures. If the existing laws are executed properly, the crime rate will be reduced systematically. Only killing indiscriminately won’t bring any fruitful result in the long run.