At least a dozen people died detained in Bangladesh since last year’s revolution, even for torture and bullet wounds, a rights group said Wednesday.
Ordhikar, one of the largest human rights organizations in the nation of southern Asia, demanded justice from the interim government that took over the revolution led by students that demolished former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
“The interim government should not let these crimes be unpunished,” said ODHIKAR director, Asm Nasiruddin Elan AFP. “Those involved in extrajudicial murders must be taken before justice.”
Ordhikar detailed in a report how security forces during the 15 -year -old autocratic government were dedicated to generalized murders to strengthen their power, and accused the same agencies of continuing to commit human rights violations since he fled.
Hasina escaped the Indian neighbor on August 5, limiting an uprising in which the United Nations says that more than 1,400 people could have been killed, and since then has challenged an arrest warrant to face the trial for crimes against the humanity.
Since he left, Bangladesh security forces have carried out radical arrests against supporters of the Hasina Awami League party and the loyal ones of what they call their former “fascist” government.
Ordhikar detailed 12 deaths that took place between August 9 and December 31, 2024.
Bangladesh’s security forces are “investigating all cases,” said Sami-Dowla Chowdhury, director of Public Relations of the Armed Forces. AFP.
‘Right to Justice’
“Even the friends of the fascist regime have the right to justice,” said Elan. “Extrajudicial murders must be prevented at any cost.”
Three of them were in police custody, and the others were under the control of other security units, including the armed forces and the very feared rapid paramilitary action battalion (RAB).
At least seven victims died after torture, and four had gunshot wounds, according to Ophikar.
He added that another person was beaten and then left a bridge, added.
Among the cases was the death of Elahi Sikdar, 18 from the city of Gopalganj, who was arrested by allegedly attackers soldiers. His injured body was recovered from a hospital.
His brother Kudrat Sikdar said that, like many families of the dead, they would not present a case. “We have accepted his death as destiny,” said Kudrat Sikdar.
In response to the report, said Bangladesh police spokesman Inamul Mo AFP that the officers had been ordered to “refrain from activities beyond their jurisdiction.”
The Armed Forces received judicial powers execution activities such as the Police, including the realization of arrests, after the revolution.
The Chief of the Waker-Zaman army said he was concerned that this role would spread.
“The more our people remain in the countryside, the more there is fear that they face illegal activities,” he told Prothomo al newspaper.
