HC slams 'more crossfire deaths'
Tuesday, 15 December 2009
The High Court (HC) Monday expressed grave concern over continued 'crossfire' deaths despite a suo moto ruling on extra-judicial killings it had issued last month, reports bdnews24.com.
The bench of Justice AFM Abdur Rahman and Justice Md Imdadul Haque Azad said 11 incidents of extra-judicial killings had reportedly taken place since the November 17 ruling ordering authorities to explain the deaths by so-called crossfire of two brothers in Madaripur.
On November 16, Lutfor Khalashi (40) and Khairul Khalashi (38), both alleged to be extremists, were killed in what RAB said was "an exchange of gunfire". The deaths were reported just 36 hours after family members had voiced fears that the two might be killed in custody.
The court had issued the suo moto rule the next day on the home secretary, director general (DG) of RAB and two others following media accounts of the deaths, asking why the deaths should not be ruled extra-judicial.
The bench of Justice AFM Abdur Rahman and Justice Md Imdadul Haque Azad said 11 incidents of extra-judicial killings had reportedly taken place since the November 17 ruling ordering authorities to explain the deaths by so-called crossfire of two brothers in Madaripur.
On November 16, Lutfor Khalashi (40) and Khairul Khalashi (38), both alleged to be extremists, were killed in what RAB said was "an exchange of gunfire". The deaths were reported just 36 hours after family members had voiced fears that the two might be killed in custody.
The court had issued the suo moto rule the next day on the home secretary, director general (DG) of RAB and two others following media accounts of the deaths, asking why the deaths should not be ruled extra-judicial.