Editorial
Death in law enforcers' hands
We strongly protest and urge govt action
REPORTS of three deaths of people in police custody only within a span of 5 days are simply unacceptable. If police are the public face of the government then it is a very scary face indeed that the citizens are watching recently. The latest incident of death of a man Mujubar by name under inexplicable circumstances has allegedly happened at the hands of the Darussalam police in the city last Thursday. The man was picked up from the Savar area the same day in the afternoon by a group of policemen and by night his body was found floating in the Turag river bearing torture marks on his lifeless body. According to the brother of the deceased, the policemen had allegedly demanded money from him for his release but when he failed to give it he was beaten to death. This stands corroborated by Iqbal, the deceased person's son who described in a prominent Bangla daily how the police treated his father: "They handcuffed him, gave him blows, kicked him, choked him in water by the river side, asked him for money, which his father said he didn't have, before hauling him up on to a boat." The police, however, denied all allegations of beating the person to death and rather branded him as a drug peddler.
The joint human rights report published by Ain O Shalish Kendro and Odhikar painted an overall picture of extrajudicial killings by the law enforcing bodies that is going on unabated in the country in the absence of veritable inaction on the part of the government. It says that in the last six months, as many as 61 people have lost their lives in so-called crossfire or encounter. The report mentions that many people remain untraceable after having been picked up by the law enforcers and after a gap of a few days their lifeless bodies are found abandoned in some place.
It is ironic indeed that life of the citizens appears to be equally at risk when in the hands of the law enforcers as they are in the hands of the criminals. There have been numerous allegations against the special elite force RAB of extrajudicial killings -- tagged as crossfire, gunfight and encounter -- but incidents of death in police custody did not reach such frightening level as they have in recent times. The police force seems to be working as per its own agenda oblivious of the laws of the land. The voice of the entire media, including that of The Daily Star, has been loud and clear on the issue of extrajudicial killings. But it is with a great deal of consternation we notice that nothing has been done to put a stop to this unconstitutional practice. On the other hand, to our dismay, some responsible people in the government have often given supportive statements or made attempts to evade the questions about it.
The incidents of death in RAB or police custody must stop now if the government is serious about establishing a society on the basis of law and justice. The rule of law must be given priority over everything else. We end on a surprising note that Awami League had clearly made a pledge in its election manifesto to stop extrajudicial killing. But the reality is so glaringly different.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. 
Related News
Why build roads through a reserved forest?
4 hour(s) ago
Editorial
An alarming report on children’s exposure to climate risks
19 June 2026, 19:07 PM
Editorial
Why is safe water inaccessible for millions despite rising spending?
19 June 2026, 08:00 AM
Editorial
BB must confront bad loans’ true scale
18 June 2026, 18:38 PM
Editorial
Dolphin deaths must be investigated
18 June 2026, 08:00 AM
Editorial
Comments