If the 2024 incident is added to the list of those killed in the anti-discrimination student movement, the number of those killed will rise to 3,000.
2 thousand 699 people were victims of extrajudicial killings in the country from 2009 to 2023 during the Awami League-led government. During this period, 677 people went missing, 1 thousand 48 people died in prison. This information has emerged in the statistics of the human rights organization Odhikar. However, the organization claims that if the 2024 incident is added to the list of those killed in the anti-discrimination student movement, the death toll will exceed 3,000.
According to the report, Awami League government could not maintain accountability and rule of law. Extrajudicial killings, disappearances and killings have occurred using members of the government’s law enforcement agencies due to a dysfunctional justice system. Members of law enforcement agencies are used by the government to suppress law enforcement, political opponents, government critics, and dissidents. These include extrajudicial killings, disappearances and murders, killings by torture, crossfire, extortion by threats of death, shooting of opposition political activists, arresting traders and looting goods, extortion by threatening to arrest citizens.
Statistics on extrajudicial killings show that a total of 154 people were killed in 2009, the year the Awami League government assumed power. Besides, 127 people were killed in 2010, 84 in 2011 and 70 in 2012. Before the 2013 elections, this number increased to 329 people. And 172 people were killed in 2014, 186 in 2015, 178 in 2016, 155 in 2017.
In 2018, 466 people were extrajudicially killed during the election year of the 12th National Assembly. 391 people were killed in 2019, 225 in 2020. In 2021, the number of extrajudicial killings increased to 107, 31 in 2022, and 24 in 2023 following the imposition of a US visa ban on law enforcement officials.
677 people have gone missing in this decade and a half. Of these, the highest number of 98 people went missing in 2018, the year of the 12th National Assembly elections. Also three in 2009, 19 in 2010, 32 in 2012, 54 in 2013, 39 in 2014, 67 in 2015, 90 in 2016, 88 in 2017, 201 in 2017 34 in 2, 2013 21 went missing in 2022 and 52 in 2023.
Not only rights, human rights organization Law and Arbitration Center (ASK) executive director Farooq Faisal also gave the same information. “We may have some numerical differences with rights, but they are very small,” he said. But we have confidence in the correct information.
Analyzing the data, it can be seen that the disappearances and extrajudicial killings are highest during election years. Which was double compared to other years. Of them, 466 were killed in 2018. The 12th National Assembly elections saw the highest number of people go missing this year. Jail deaths are also the third highest.
Many of the missing are still missing. However, according to the description given by the returnees, they were kept in a locked room after law enforcement forces were identified. Allegedly, they were held for years in the room, known as ‘Mirror’ or ‘Safe Home’ and subjected to gruesome and cruel torture.
Barrister Mir Ahmad Bin Kashem Arman was abducted from his home in Mirpur on August 9, 2016, posing as a law enforcement officer. Since then his family has been regularly harassed by law enforcement agencies. Armaan returned to the family after the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government. He said that he was imprisoned in the mirror room for a long time.
Armaan’s mother Khondkar Ayesha Khatun said, ‘The whole time after the boy went missing, we went through a struggle. Incidents like police torture, insecurity, house searches are happening every month. There isn’t a month that goes by when the police don’t come. Sometimes Mirpur Police Station, sometimes multiple Police Stations together and sometimes joint operations are conducted. We were also fed up with the atrocities of the local gangsters. Our relatives could not come home, not even the drivers. At some point our children get traumatized. Later I left home in 2021. But I could not pay the house rent.
Regarding the return of Mir Ahmad bin Kashem Arman, mother Ayesha Khatun said that he was not physically assaulted in the mirror. But his cell was very small. There was a large fan installed, making a lot of noise throughout the day and night, sometimes playing music at a high volume. Now his head shakes all day under its influence. He was blindfolded and handcuffed for a year. Hands were tied in front during the day and behind at night. Food and cold have suffered. Winter clothes were not given. But Armaan is very strong mentally. Now, however, panic working through him all the time, he hesitates to speak.
According to human rights organization Human Rights Support Society (HRSS), 255 people went missing from 2008 to 2019. Evidence from the Center for Martial Law and Arbitration, data from 2015-2023 shows that 260 victims have gone missing, with 192 still missing. Among them, leaders and members of other parties such as BNP, killings in elections, killings, disappearances, attempted murders. Such a big crime and a crime against humanity. Incessantly raised in the crossfire, itemized ransom demands, accompanied by deaths in police custody. At the same time steps can be taken to prevent litigants from being prosecuted, to continue obstruction.
With the miraculous inaction, the Na Party laden common people are considered to be the victims of the coup d’état at a time when justice struggles for missing and crossfire people. For this, independent representatives should be formed, on whom the people will have confidence. Only the ruling party, identified as controlling law and order, should bring to justice those who belonged to them. Example boldness must be ensured, so that neither the government nor any people associated with the government get coordinated. And those who are missing, their families should be given financial support.
In the last 15 years, the government has adopted the law and system of their laws, said the leaders of the arbitration center that Farooq Faisal. He said, ‘Democracy has been revealed by them, supporting human rights and protesting against journalists. As they have to fight against them in the form of disappearances and extrajudicial killings. Today the mirror will be publicized, extrajudicial, murder, disappearance victims will all be publicized. The intergovernmental task is to publish its findings and white papers. Complaints against the accused will be raised to interrogate them, if judged, his trial must be confirmed. Those who may judge without reason.
