385 unwanted deaths: 100 victims of secret killing in 2011
Many of the persons missing after their abduction belonging to both the ruling and the opposition parties or business community, political or business rivals as well as the law enforcers are equally blamed for theincidents.
Bangladesh rights groups are worried over the incidents of abduction across the country allegedly by plainclothes law enforcers and extra-judicial killings by RAB.
Although there were 'some progress' in establishing human rights in 2011, the situation as a whole was worrying, said Ain o Salish Kendra(ASK) executive director Sultana Kamal while revealing the last year's human rights scenario at a news conference in the city on Sunday.
The former adviser to the caretaker government expressedconcern over the rising trend of extrajudicial killings, mob lynching andsecret killings.
The legal and human rights organization said 100 people were killed by law enforcers in 2011, while 134 were lynched by mobs, 33 committed suicide due to sexual harassment and 23 killed while protesting against harassment.
It said 56 people were killed in political violence and 39by India's Border Security Force (BSF) and added that about 30 people were abducted last year.
According to this non-government organization, disappearance or secret killings emerged as a new crime trend in 2011. Sultana Kamal. Its executive director questioned the government's sincerity over ending extrajudicial killings and torture.
"The state could have responded to the questions bytrying those who are conducting such incidents," she said.
About law enforcers' role, she said, "The law enforcing agencies have so far maintained the trend to act as forces of powerful or influential people."
She blamed weak foreign policy for killing of Bangladeshis by BSF. "The government failed to take any effective step that could deter India from killing the innocent Bangladeshis," she said.
The ASK executive director said the government lacks eagerness to establish the National Human Rights Commission as an antivivisectionist."The government has appointed 28 employees to the commission, though it needs 68. From this, we have to assume that the government does not have the political will to let them (the commission) do well,"she said.
The ASK, in its review, expressed concern over the trial of erstwhile BDR mutineers and non-execution of the Chittagong Hill Tracts treaty.ASK's concerns included obstruction to political demonstrations, conducting mobile courts, withdrawal of death sentences and cases on political considerations and excesses on 304 journalists.
It said the number of deaths in custody was 116 in 2011,higher than the previous year.
About the International Crimes Tribunal, formed to try the crimes against humanity committed during the Liberation War, Sultana Kamal saidit need to be strengthened with more skilled manpower.
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