A total of 58 people were killed and 5,400 injured in 387 political clashes and violence across the country in the last nine months, said a report released by human rights organisation Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK).
All of them were killed at various levels of political conflicts including local government elections, ASK published the report by sending a media release on Friday signed by its Executive Director Nur Khan.
According to the report, Cumilla and Chattogram ranked in the top and second position respectively in the number of violence. A total of 25 people were killed in 256 political clashes in Cumilla while 23 were killed in Chattogram in 302 incidents of violence from January to September this year.
The report said a local Swechasebak Dal leader and Bhola district Chhatra Dal president were killed in a clash between BNP and police on July 31 over BNP’s rally protesting the hike of prices of the daily essentials. Two more Jubo Dal activists were killed in a clash with police in Munshiganj on September 1 and 22 respectively.
Ganasanghati Andolon Chief Coordinator Zonayed Saki along with others was injured in an attack carried out by the Chhatra League in Chattogram Medical College Hospital while he went to visit ailing burned victims of the Sitakunda fire on June 7.
About crossfire, ASK said the incidents of the extra-judicial killings were stopped after the ban on top officials of RAB by the US government on December 10 last year. However, the crossfire happened in April once again.
It also criticised Rajbari-2 constituency lawmaker and district Awami League president Zillur Hakim’s speech supporting crossfire saying 15 people have died during the period in extra-judicial killings and custody by the law enforcers.
The human rights organisation said the incidents of kidnapping and forced disappearance happened in the last nine months by the men of the plain cloth who identified themselves as the law enforcers. However, law enforcement agencies have denied the allegations as usual.
At the same time, two communal attacks have been carried out by the radicals. Of these, the attack on Hindus in Narail over hurting religious sentiment through the Facebook post was prominent.
The report said assaults on women have increased at an alarming rate in the last nine months. A total of 136 women were victims of sexual harassment across the country. Seven women committed suicide after being harassed and six men were killed as they protested the incidents of sexual harassment.
A total of 734 women were raped, 34 were killed, and rape attempts were carried out on 128 women during the period. Besides, 367 women were the victim of family violence while 228 women were killed in the family feud. A total of 67 women committed suicide due to family violence while six women committed suicide after being victimised for dowry, reads the report.
On the other hand, 10 housemaids were killed and 11 women were the victims of acid terrorism while three of them died.
The ASK report also said a total of 1,278 children were the victim of torture and killing in the last nine months. Of these, 240 children were killed and 44 children committed suicide.
A journalist in Cumilla was gun downed while performing duty. A total of 179 journalists faced torture, harassment, threat and case during the period across the country, it added.
Security analyst retired Major Gen Mohammad Ali Sikder told Bangladesh Pratidin that when politics becomes a business to the people then violence is mandatory. A healthy political environment is not expected without stopping money, power and mischief.
“Political parties should discuss the issues if they want the wellbeing of the people. There is no alternative to it,” he opined.
Professor Zia Rahman, former head of the Criminology Department of Dhaka University, said political violence increase ahead of every election.
Dialogue and compromise among the major political parties are the main ways to stop political violence, he added.
@ The article appeared on print and online versions of The Bangladesh Pratidin on October 1, 2022 and has been rewritten in English by Golam Rosul.
