Prosecute law enforcers for abduction

This January 17 photo shows a house of a Hindu family at Muhuripara of Satkania in Chittagong after criminals burnt it to the ground.

The Human Rights Watch today came up with the observation that law enforcement agencies in Bangladesh carried out extrajudicial executions, enforced disappearances, arbitrary arrests, and the unlawful destruction of private property.
The global watch dog suggested prosecution of members of law enforcement agencies who found responsible for unlawful killings, torture, and other human rights abuses, the report said.
The global human rights body also observed that Bangladesh government and members of rival political parties all bear responsibility for the violence which scarred the January 5 national elections.
Quoting Bangladeshi human rights organisations, the New-York based rights organisation said hundreds were killed and injured in violent attacks surrounding the controversial elections.
“These were the bloodiest elections since independence, and unless concrete steps are taken to address what happened, the situation in Bangladesh is likely to worsen,” Brad Adams, Asia director of HRW, said in a new report published today.
“It is important that the leaders of the main political parties not only make public statements denouncing this senseless violence, but also take measures to censure party members found responsible for the violence.”
The 64-page report, “Democracy in the Crossfire: Opposition Violence and Government Abuses in the 2014 Pre-and Post-Election Period in Bangladesh,” details violent protests by opposition activists who called for an election boycott.
On numerous occasions, opposition party members and activists threw petrol bombs at trucks, buses, and motorized rickshaws.
In some cases, opposition group members forced children to carry out the attacks and in response, the government unleashed a brutal crackdown, the report said.
Human Rights Watch researchers documented how members of law enforcement agencies carried out extrajudicial executions, enforced disappearances, arbitrary arrests, and the unlawful destruction of private property.
The Bangladesh authorities should prosecute members of law enforcement agencies found responsible for unlawful killings, torture, and other human rights abuses, the report said.
Leaders of the main political parties should make clear and unambiguous public statements opposing violence by their supporters, it added.
For the report, Human Rights Watch interviewed more than 120 people, including victims, their family members, and eyewitnesses. Abuses documented were committed by members of opposition groups and law enforcement agencies before, during, and after the elections.
“CROSSFIRE” KILLINGS
Human Rights Watch also repeated its call to the government to end the reign of impunity enjoyed by Bangladesh’s security forces.
After the elections, the security forces unlawfully arrested opposition leaders, naming them as suspects in violent attacks, according to the report.