Fifty-eight people were killed at the hands of law enforcers last month, of them, 55 alone were killed in 'crossfire' involving various law enforcing agencies including RAB, Cheetah, Cobra and police, said the monthly report of Odhikar. Odhikar, a human rights coalition, in its report also said 41 people were killed and 697 injured in political violence last month. A total of 304 persons were arrested during the period. The Odhikar report, prepared on the basis of reports published in leading 12 national dailies, observed that the rise in political and other killings in 'crossfire' last month reflected the 'much-worsened human rights conditions in the country'.
According to the report, three people of the 58 people killed in the last month were tortured to death in custody across the country. One of them was killed in RAB custody in the city while two others were killed in police custody at Khulna and Jamalpur. 55 people were killed in 'crossfire'. Of them, 14 were killed in crossfire with the Rapid Action Battalion, 38 in 'crossfire' with police and three with anti-crime outfits Cheetah and Cobra. Of these 55 people, 12 were killed in crossfire in the city and on its outskirts and the rest 43 people were killed across the country.
A total of eight journalists were injured and 11 were assaulted while on duty. Besides, cases were filed against four newsmen and four received threats from different quarters, the Odhikar report mentioned, adding that in the same period 50 women and children were raped and of them, 13 were killed after rape. On the other hand, three children and five women sustained acid burn injuries during the period.
RAB arrests listed criminal at Sabugbagh
A team of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB-3) arrested a listed criminal from Sabujbagh under Sabugbagh thana in the city and recovered arms and ammunition from his possession in the small hours of yesterday. The arrested was identified as Shah Alam (30), an accused in 13 cases with Sabujbagh police station.
According to the RAB sources, a squad of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB-3) arrested a notorious criminal in a drive conducted in a house belonging to Rashid at North Manda under Sabujbagh police station and recovered five cocktails from his possession at around 12.45 am yesterday. Later, following his confessional statement, the RAB team recovered a revolver and two rounds of bullet from his bed room.
| What, he didn't have a cadre of friends lurking under his bed to shoot it out with the cops? |
12 activists of Jamayatul Mujahedin arrested in Natore
Feb 1 : Police arrested 12 members of Jamayatul Mujahedin from a mosque in Sadar Upazila late Monday night. Police said that, acting on a tip-off, they raided the Pirganj Shudhapara mosque at about 2:45am and arrested the members of the outlawed Islamic group.
They are Shahidul Islam (58), Anwarul Islam (37), Alauddin (45), Forman Ali (30), Mohammad Ali (20), Nurul Islam (22), Abdur Razzak (28), Ishaq Ali (50), Rafiqul Islam (19), Mokhlesur Rahman (36), Ahsan Habib (22) and Abdul Baki (35).
They were all from Dostonabad, Hashimpur, Majhipara, Shadhupara and Halsha villages in the Sadar upazila.
"There was an information that they were training in the mosque. But, on preliminary interrogation, the suspected persons said they were doing exercise," said a police officer.
| "No, no, we're not training! This is just a exercise class, we were working out to the new Jihadercise video......" |
Of the arrested persons, Ahsan Habib was arrested from rail-station area in the town last year for wall writing on behalf of the Jamayatul Mujahedin. Police said that they were continuing interrogation for further clues.