BNP MPs slam govt for 'extrajudicial killings'

Two BNP MPs on Monday sharply criticised the government for what they said the ongoing 'extrajudicial killings' and demanded a statement from the home minister whether all citizens of the republic will get the equal scope to take shelter under the arm of the law, reports UNB.


Initiating an unscheduled debate in parliament on point of order, BNP MP Harunur Rashid said people are being picked up and killed in the name of law enforcement personnel and later 'dramas are staged' to justify those killings.


"And the government is giving certificates to these killings," Harunur Rashid told the house.


He said reports from various national and international human rights organisations suggest that there have been some 3,000 'extrajudicial' killings in the country over the last 10-12 years.

"Those who've lost their near and dear ones won't get the scope to take shelter under the arm of law? Have we suspended those articles of the Constitution?" he questioned.

In this connection, the BNP MP gave some details of extrajudicial killings taken place in his constituency where law enforcement personnel staged drama after the extrajudicial killings.

Talking about the retired major Sinha killing in Cox's Bazar, the BNP MP said, "An investigation is going on, trial is going on, but will the 3,000 families of the victims who have been killed by law enforcement agencies get the chance to have access to justice? Won't the state stay beside them?"

He demanded a statement from the home minister in this regard.

Another BNP MP, Rumeen Farhana, said one recent 'extrajudicial' killing drew attention of all. "Every day, more than one extrajudicial killing takes place in the country...it's repeatedly said these are isolated incidents, but none of these are isolated incidents," she said.



She said OC Teknaf Pradeep got the highest police award BPM in 2019 and he got it for six reasons -- all for extrajudicial killing. If any police officer gets the highest award for "extrajudicial killing then it would naturally encourage extrajudicial killings".

She also alleged that transactions of money were also related with these incidents.



Rummen said the [home] minister always is in a denial mood saying there is no extrajudicial killing in Bangladesh.



"When the State encourages extrajudicial killings, it means the judiciary has been destroyed, people have lost their faith in the judiciary and the State becomes a dysfunctional State," she said.



Jatiya Party MP Pir Fazlur Rahman said no one can avoid the responsibility of extrajudicial killings and mentioned that OC Pradeep got his first promotion during the BNP regime.



He reminded that the "Operation Clean Heart" had been carried out during the BNP regime when numerous political leaders and activists were tortured.