The BNP has drawn attention of different embassies and international human rights agencies in Dhaka to extrajudicial killings by law enforcers urging them to investigate the incidents on the spots, according to BNP sources.
A member of the BNP chairperson’s media wing told journalists that the BNP has sent a list of party leaders and activists who were killed in the name of “crossfire” or become the victims of enforced disappearance or abduction to different embassies and international human rights agencies.The list was given to the embassies and international human rights agencies, before a high level delegation of European Union is due to arrive in Dhaka next week to evaluate the human right situation in Bangladesh, according to the sources.
The list include names and details about 39 opposition leaders and activists who were killed in “cross fire” or in “gunfight”, according to sources.
Talking to reporters, BNP chairperson’s special assistant Shamsur Rahman Shimul Biswas said innumerable leaders and activists of the BNP and its allies were arrested across the country since January 5 in the name of joint drives.
“Besides, many were killed in the name of “gunfight,” he said adding, different dailies have published news in this regard despite strict censorship of the government.
BNP sources claimed that a total of 78 people have been killed by different law enforcing agencies including, police, RAB and BGB since January 5 when the 20-party alliance wanted to hold a rally to mark the first anniversary of last year’s January 5 election that BNP had boycotted.
BNP leaders claimed that of the victims, 43 are opposition leaders and activists.
Innocent people including 20-party leaders and activists were killed in different parts of the country including Rangpur, Kurigram, Jatrabari in Dhaka, Ujirpur in Barisal, and Chowddhagram in Comilla.
BNP sources also claimed that about 18,000 opposition leaders and activists were arrested during the last one month while over seven lakh were implicated in several thousand cases.
Shimul Biswas alleged that the law enforcers killed many opposition leaders in the name of “gunfight” or “cross fire” and some were killed by throwing them under the running trucks side by side wounding many by shooting them in their legs. – Staff Reporter
