19 killed in crossfire in Aug: Odhikar

Taking the total number of dead to eight in the last two weeks Friday September 11 2009 11:12:52 AM BDT Ruling Awami League MP Saber Hossain Chowdhury has placed a bill in parliament proposing life-term sentence to perpetrators of killings in custody of law-enforcement agencies. Chowdhury brought the bill in the wake of a recent spate of killings of a number of alleged criminals by elite force RAB and police in so-called 'crossfire' and 'encounters'.(bdnews24.com, Dhaka) Another militant outlaw was killed in alleged shootout with police and RAB early on Thursday in Kushtia, taking the total number of dead to eight in the last two weeks. The MP presented two bills-Torture and Custody Death (Prevention) Bill 2009 and Resisting Eviction of Slum Dwellers from Government Land Bill 2009, which have been sent for scrutiny to the relevant parliamentary committees. In his written statement, Chowdhury said: "The state organisations, particularly the law enforcers forget the basic rights of people. It cannot be possible to ensure justice in many cases. "People are tortured on various excuses through the administration and police forces. They face brutal torture at various times under the custody of law. Even deaths are taking place frequently in security custody." The former AL organising secretary in his bill proposed life term and at least Tk 1 lakh fine for the perpetrators if found guilty. Home minister Sahara Khatun has claimed that no extra-judicial killing was taking place during the crackdown in the southwest. "Those who are getting killed are dying in gun battles with the police and RAB," she said last Sunday. 'Odhikar', a human rights organisation, said at least 19 people were killed in August across the country in so-called 'crossfire, encounter or gunfight'. Of the deceased, 10 allegedly belonged to different underground militant outfits. According to available figures, a total 577 people died in 472 'crossfire' incidents across the country since RAB was constituted on March 26, 2004.