A glimpse of extrajudicial killings in 2019

Ain O Shalish Kendra (ASK) in its latest report on Monday said at least 204 people were killed in “gunfights” during the first six months of 2019.

According to the report, on an average more than one person fall victim to extrajudicial killings by law enforcement agencies every day for this year.

204 extrajudicial killings in six months: ASK

Among the victims, 59 were killed in “gunfights” with RAB, 92 with police, while 12 others were killed at the hands of the Detective Branch (DB) of police, one with joint forces, one with Coast Guard, and 28 with Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB).

As the prime accused of Barguna’s Rifat murder case was killed in a gunfight early Tuesday, let us look at a few recent such incidents.

Barguna

Sabbir Ahmed alias Nayon Bond, the prime accused in Rifat Sharif murder case, was killed in a reported gunfight with police in Barguna Sadar upazila early July 2, 2019.

Rifat, 22, was hacked to death by criminals in front of his wife in broad daylight in the district town on June 26. The incident was caught on surveillance camera.

Meherpur

Yakub Ali Kajal, an accused in a rape case, was killed in another reported gunfight with police at Garadob village in Meherpur’s Gangni upazila on May 11, 2019.

Sajedul Islam, inspector (investigation) of Gangni police station, said Kajal was the prime accused in the gang rape of a schoolgirl in the village on December 20, 2018.

Chattogram

Md Saifullah, 28, prime accused of a murder case, was killed in an alleged gunfight with police in the port city’s Bakolia area on April 9, 2019.

Saifullah was the prime suspect in Lokman Hossain’s murder case.

Lokman was shot dead while he was mediating a dispute over a love affair in Bakolia area on April 6.

Jashore

On March 6, 2019, police identified a bullet-riddled body of a man, which was found near an abandoned rice mill in the district, as the prime accused in a child rape case.

The deceased was later identified as Shamim, 35, a resident of Gazipara area. He was the prime accused in a rape and subsequent murder case of a second-grader in the district.

Police sources said Shamim was killed in a gunfight during a turf war between two gangs of illegal narcotics traders.

Dhaka

On November 29, 2018, a man facing trial for his suspected involvement in killing of a garment worker was reportedly killed in a “gunfight” with police at Yarpur of Ashulia in Dhaka.

Officer-in-Charge of Ashulia police station Sheikh Rezaul Huq Dipu said the deceased was identified as Bablu Mia.

Bablu was the main accused in the murder of garment worker Mehedi Hasan, who was from Anantarampur of Bagharpara in Jashore.
Munshiganj

Abdur Rahman, 34, the prime accused in freethinking writer and publisher Shahjahan Bachchu murder case, was killed in a reported gunfight with police at Khashmahal Baluchar in Sirajdikhan upazila on June 28, 2018.

He was a member of the banned militant outfit Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB).

Shahjahan Bachchu, 60, an outspoken proponent of secular principles and owner of the publishing house Bishaka Prokashoni, was gunned down in his ancestral village Kakaldi in the district on June 11 evening.