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Saturday, January 7, 2012

Odhikar worried at abduction, disappearance

Incidents of extra-judicial killings decreased in 2011 but occurrence of abduction and forced confinement rose alarmingly, rights watchdog ‘Odhikar’ said Saturday, terming the rights situation as "disappointing”.

There were 30 incidents of abduction in 2011 while the numbers were 18 and two in 2010 and 2009 respectively, Adilur Rahman Khan, Odhikar secretary, said while presenting 2011 HR report at Jatiya Press Club.

The number of extra-judicial killing was 154 in 2009, 127 in 2010 while 84 in 2011, according to the report.
Number of deaths in mob killing decreased but such extra-judicial action took a dramatic turn in 2011, the report said.

It cited the example of police engaging people for beating one Shamsuddin Milon to death in Noakhali.

Total 127 people were killed in 2009, 174 in 2010 and 161 in 2011 in mob beating, according to the report.
Repression on women increased significantly across the country. The number of dowry-related violence shot up to 516 in 2011 from 319 in 2009 and 378 in 2010.

The report also stated that 456 women were violated in 2009, 559 in 2010 and 711 in 2011.

The organisation also found that 251 people were killed in political violence in 2009, 220 in 2010 and 135 in 2011.

The Indian Border Security Force last year killed 31 Bangladeshi nationals.

ZI Khan Panna, executive member of Bangladesh Bar Council, and Monjurul Ahsan Bulbul, chief executive officer of Boishakhi Television, and Mizanur Rahman Khan, associate editor of Bangla daily Prothom Alo, were present at the programme.