DHAKA, 2 October 2005 — A report yesterday said over 300 people were killed in Bangladesh by security forces since January this year.
A report released by the organization, Odhikar, said of the 324 custodial deaths in the country, 223 people were allegedly killed by police and 78 by an elite anti-terror agency, Rapid Action Battalion.
Another three persons died at the hands of special squads Cheeta and Cobra, while other law enforcement forces were responsible for the 20 remaining fatalities. The report has been prepared on the basis of statistics furnished by 12 leading national newspapers.
Over 110 custodial deaths were recorded in the corresponding period last year, when the government had stepped up a drive against most wanted criminals.
The report also said raging political violence between the ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and the main opposition party, the Awami League (AL), resulted in 224 deaths countrywide since January.
Nearly 6,500 people were injured in political violence in the last nine months while 900 activists were arrested and eight abducted. The report alleged that scores have been detained on suspicions of being involved in the Aug. 17 bomb attacks carried out by activists of the outlawed group Jamatul Mujahedeen.
