Hasnat Abdullah, a top leader of the Jatiya Nagorik Committee, has sharply criticised the inspector general of police’s recent remark about “crossfire if permitted” and demanded strict accountability from the government. He alleged that there was an attempt to disgrace the whole force by pushing the police back on to the path of extrajudicial killings and “crossfire”, the term used in Bangladesh for killings of suspects in claimed gunfights, like controversial officers of the past. He also strongly condemned market syndicates, the gas crisis and open extortion at street corners.
Speaking at a protest rally in the capital, Hasnat Abdullah said: “The IGP says that if the government gives permission, they are ready to kill people in crossfire. Those who threaten to kill people with crossfire and bullets are the descendants of DB Harun and Benazir. In any civilised country, that IGP could not have stayed in his post after such a remark.”
He added: “Just as ordinary police members are trying to get back on their feet after the collapse of morale following the July uprising, the whole police force is being disgraced again by such irresponsible remarks from a few officers. If the government does not take a clear decision on this, we will assume it is once again choosing the dark path of enforced disappearances, killings and extrajudicial killings.”
At the rally he demanded that Miraj of Mongla be found, and said people subjected to enforced disappearance by the Coast Guard, which is under the Home Ministry, must be returned immediately. He also demanded the quick release of a woman he said had been detained to harass her for her political dissent.
Voicing anger over prices and syndicates, Hasnat Abdullah said: “People in Mugda cannot even cook because of the gas crisis. Ordinary people have to buy a gas cylinder that costs Tk 1800 for Tk 2500 to 3000. These syndicates and this extortion are being kept alive under the government’s direct patronage.”
Sharply criticising the government’s promise of jobs, he said sarcastically: “The government said it would create one and a half crore jobs in 18 months. According to our information, it has already secured one crore jobs, and those are open extortion and tender manipulation at every street corner! The people of Bangladesh did not want this kind of employment through extortion.”
He warned that if the extortion and syndicates that have grown under political protection did not stop, ordinary people would take to the streets and win their rights themselves.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report