by William Gomes
Sri Lanka Guardian Correspondent in Dhaka, Bangladesh
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| Shyamol Bepariwho died on so called cross fire photograph by William Gomes for Sri Lanka Guardian |
(January 19, Dhaka,Sri Lanka Guardian )The extrajudicial killings by the law enforcement agency is increasing each and everyday in Bangladesh . Almost everyday its easy to find out a news of “cross fire”in newspapers saying arms recovered the criminal killed in so called “cross fire “ some law enforcer are injured.
Only in the years 2010, 127 people had fallen victim to extra-judicial killings among whom 101 had been killed in so called 'cross-fire' with the law enforcers.
Everyday the preplanned cool minded murder in the name of “cross fire “ is going on by the law enforcers while none of them were brought under law.In absence of proper enforcement of law and lack of the political will of governments the perpetrators of extrajudicial killings are getting impunity and innocent people are loosing hope in the judiciary and rule of law.
Police in execution :
A young worker 'Shyamol Bepary', 25, was killed and a teenage boy ' Asif Anik', 17, was injured in so called “crossfire”with police at West Rampura in the city in the early hours of January 15th .
A police patrol team spotted a gang as it gathered at Balurmath area of west Rampura near the Mahanagar Project at around 2:00am to commit a crime,said Rampura police sub-inspector Swadhin Chandra Talukder.
The shootout occurred when the police team challenged them, the gang opened fire on the law-enforcers, prompting the latter to fire back, the Rampura police said.
At one stage the miscreants fled the scene leaving the two injured. After the ‘gunfight’, the patrol team found Shyamal and Anik lying in a pool of blood on the spot with bullet wounds, they added.
Shyamol Bepari, 25, and Asif Anik, 17, were admitted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) where Shyamol died around 8:00am. Later Anik was shifted to National Institute of Traumatology, Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation (Pongu Hospital) around noon.
The discriptions of the events leading to the so called “crossfire” given by the Rampura police differed a lot from a press release on of Dhaka Metropolitan Police on the issue.
Rampura police said when the police team challenged them, the gang opened fire on the law-enforcers, prompting the latter to fire back.
Both the injured were taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital, where Shyamal succumbed to his injuries at 9:00am.
Dhaka Metropolitan Police in a press release said, a police team along with two detainees named Shyamal and Anik went on an operation against a group of miscreants at Balurmath near the Mahanagor Project at about 1:45am on Januray 15th .
As the team approached the spot, the miscreants opened fire on the police ‘in an effort to take away their detained accomplishes,’ triggering a ‘gunfight’ that left both the detainees wounded on the spot, the DMP press relase said.
Art of Killing : “Cross Fire” :
On 17th January admitted on National Institute of Traumatology and Orthopaedic Rehabilitation Anik told the Srilanka Guradian that I was picked up by plainclothesmen on Janurary 14th on my way back home from the Jumma prayer.
Anik told the Srilanka Guradian that the plainclothesmen took me around different places in the city and then to the police station blindfolded,
Anik’s family said to the Srilanka Guradian that to the police demanded Tk 1 lakh from us for his release.
The police however denied the allegation.
Anik told the Srilanka Guardin from other place police arrested two other young man one of them was Shymal ,they police took us towards Balurmath near the Mahanagor Project in a micro at around 2am on januray15th
The police asked me to give arms otherwise will kill you , the police asked Shymal the same and we replied we don't have any arms ,then police fired on air two times and then fired on my right leg and on shaymal’s siad Anik
The police left us there for half an hour we were fight with life and death we beg them for life but they did not hear our prayers for life ,in one stage I got senlsess when I weakup I findout in hospital bed added Anik
While receiving Shyamal’s body from the DMCH morgue, his elder brother Khayrul Bapary told Srilanka Guardian that Shyamal was picked up by plainclothesmen from East Rampura at about 7:00pm on Januray 14th
Khyrul said my brother was killed by the police ,we want justice
Human Rights Activist Mehedi Hasan Said This is cool minded murder by the police officials. According to Universal Declaration of Human Rights “Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person”and “No one shall be held in slavery or servitude; slavery and the slave trade shall be prohibited in all their forms.”But here we have found that the police killed the innocent young man ,its a clear breach of “Right to life” which is a fundamental rights stated in our constitution and its a breach on international standard of Human Rights.
He said with this so called “cross fire” the number become 259 since the Awami League-led alliance came to office, although the AL in its election manifesto had promised to put an end to ‘extrajudicial killings’. With out political willingness and total reformation of criminal justice system the “extrajudicial killings” will never come to an end.
( William Gomes is our correspondent in Dhaka, Bangladesh. He can be reached at william@srilankaguardian.org )
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