2000 custodial deaths in 10-yr: ASK

More than 2,000 people have died in custody of law-enforcement agencies since 2004, says a report by human rights group Ain O Salish Kendra (ASK). It says 2,054 people died in the so-called ‘encounters’, now dubbed as ‘crossfire’. It says the highest number of deaths were in police custody, followed by those involving the Rapid Action Battalion (Rab). The number includes deaths by torture and suicides in police custody. The report says 799 people died at the hands of Rab in the last 10 years since the formation of the elite force. During these 10 years, 1000 deaths happened in police custody, the report claimed. When asked about the report, Assistant Inspector General of Police (media) Md Jalal Uddin said: “It’s not clear on the basis of what they (ASK) have prepared the list.” He said “So far I know and believe, police performed their duties remaining within the jurisdiction of law. They don’t do anything that constitutes violation of law.” ASK investigation and preservation unit Director Md Noor Khan said they made the report based on newspaper reports and allegations of the families of the deceased. ASK had earlier published a separate report on deaths in RAB custody. According to the report, 628 people were killed in the hand of the elite crime-busting agency until August, 2011. The comparison between the two reports suggests that 171 people died in Rab custody in the last two and a half years. Rab Additional Director General Ziaul Ahsan said: “Someone can call the gunfight with terrorists ‘crossfire’ and publish list of the killed. But Rab performs its duty within the jurisdiction of law,” according to bdnews24.com.