It is concerning that the number of people killed in incidents of crossfire and gunfights with law enforcement agencies has risen in the last year.
Since 2004, both AL and BNP-led governments have promised to take action to end extrajudicial killings and stop crossfire deaths. After a fall in the number of such cases between 2009 and 2012, when it fell to 91, following a peak of 377 in 2005, figures have risen over the past year.
Reports indicate that there were 208 people killed in such incidents in 2013 and in the first six weeks of this year, 46 people were killed in gunfights involving law enforcers.
This rising trend gives more urgency to the need for the government and law enforcement leaders to take effective action.
While circumstances may undoubtedly arise from time to time where law enforcers have to act in self-defence, the pattern and frequency of these types of incidents give rise to legitimate questions.
No person should be subjected to extra-judicial punishment or killing. It is contrary to rule of law and wholly unacceptable for the law to be broken in the name of law enforcement.
Law enforcement authorities should support independent investigations into such deaths so that claims of unlawful killing can be credibly tested. This is the only way to ensure that action can be taken if the law is found to be broken.
The government and police must ensure independent enquiries into any and all allegations of extra-judicial killings.