Dhaka, Jan 01, 2020 – Alongside an increase in incidents of rape, the country saw 388 cases of extrajudicial killings in the year of 2019, said a new report on Tuesday. The annual report prepared by Ain O Salish Kendra (ASK) also revealed that 1,413 women fell victims to rape in the year.
“The rate has doubled compared to the last year. Seventy-six women were killed after rape and 10 committed suicide,” said ASK Senior Deputy Director Nina Goswami while speaking at a press conference titled ‘Bangladesh Human Rights Situation-2019: Observations of ASK’ arranged by it at the Jatiya Press Club.
The data presented at the report shows that the number of forced disappearances was in decline in the year while incidents of torture in police custody were on the rise.
“Thirteen people were victims of forced disappearance. Of them, five returned to their families but the whereabouts of eight other people are still unknown,” Nina Goswami said.
The report also revealed that the number of people killed along the Bangladesh-India border was more than double this year.
“Thirty-seven people were killed by Border Security Force (BSF) of India this year. Six more died because of tortures. The number of total death in the last year was 14,” said Nina.
According to ASK data preservation unit, 488 children were killed in the country in 2019 and some of them killed after and abduction. “The number was 419 in the previous year. Also, 1,696 children were tortured in various incidents across the country this year.”
The rights organisation said incidents of arrests and torture against the right to expression by law enforcement agencies and members of ruling party’s student wings took place in larger number this year.
The data shows that 142 journalists were victims of torture by law enforcement agencies, local goons and influential politicians across the country.
Thirty-nine people were killed in political clashes across the country and 2,689 more were injured, Nina said.
ASK put forward a set of proposals to ensure equal rights for all the citizen and reduce the violence that include proper investigation of any incident violating human rights by law enforcement agencies like extrajudicial killings and abduction; ensuring freedom of expression and amending Digital Security Act-2018; starting awareness and prevention programmes to stop violence against women and children and ensuring rights of religious minorities and indigenous people.
ASK Secretary-General Tahmina Rahman, Executive Director Shipa Hafiza and Senior Coordinator Abu Ahmed Faizul Kabir were present at the programme. – UNB
