Recent incidents of torture and deaths in police custody have triggered serious concern among people, and have also caused embarrassment among police administrators. Many in the service feel that the situation would not improve if police postings and promotions, based on political considerations, are not stopped. They said the image of the law enforcement agency has come under question, after police officials killed two persons in Savar and Narayanganj, and beat up a businessman, for toll.
Human rights experts also expressed deep concerns over the recent killings in police custody, and the beating up of people by police personnel, for toll. They demanded exemplary punishment for the perpetrators.
Talking to The Independent, inspector-general of police (IGP), Hasan Mahmud, however, said that the police administration won’t tolerate any such irregularity. “We’ll take necessary steps, after carrying out a fair investigation. Tarnishing the image of the force, by some of its members, can never be tolerated,” he added.
The killings of two persons, allegedly under police custody, in Savar and Narayanganj, after their failure to pay tolls as demanded by police officials, have led to anger among people. Dhaka district police, on Friday night, arrested the mastermind of the incident in Savar, ASI Akidul Islam, who had gone into hiding after the incident.
A team of plainclothes policemen from SavarModel Police Station, on Wednesday night, had arrested a businessman, Shamim Sarker, along with his associate, Saiful Islam.
The cops, allegedly led by Akidul Islam, had beaten Shamim mercilessly, claiming Tk. 5 lakh as toll. Shamim was taken to nearby hospital, in a critical condition, where doctors declared him dead.
Besides, a deputy commissioner of police, in the city, allegedly forced a businessman to pay up Tk. 1 crore, by resorting to pressure tactics.
Sources said cops at most police stations in the city arrest innocent people and opposition activists, to realise bribes from them.
Chairman of National Human Rights Commission of Bangladesh, Dr Mizanur Rahman, termed the recent killings under police custody as examples of serious excesses by police officials. He said the commission has willingly lodged complaints over the incidents, and was carrying out investigations.
“We will take necessary action, after completing investigations,” said the human rights watchdog chief.
He said police has failed to pay enough attention to the matter, as per law, and “we have asked them to clarify as to why they failed to do so”.
Advocate Adilur Rahman Khan, secretary of Odhikar, said there are few examples of law enforcers being brought to justice for their misdeeds, since they have kept enjoying impunity from prosecution, since the country’s independence.
“Human rights commissions, judiciary and administration are there to help the victims, but, in reality, victims seldom get any justice from them. In reality, the victims’ families end up being victimised, in most cases,” he added.
Khan said the question has arisen how the rule of law could prevail, given the criminal tendencies of law-enforcement officials themselves. “Under these circumstances, there is no platform to voice such grievances, or resist such malpractices, unitedly,” he added.
-With The Independent input
