Abductions, Killings- State not duly worried

Abductions, Killings- State not duly worried

NHRC chief tells Prothom Alo roundtable

Staff Correspondent

Despite repeated incidents of killing after abduction and other sorts of unnatural deaths due to criminal activities, the state does not seem to be as worried as it should be, said Dr. Mizanur Rahman yesterday.
Any kind of unnatural death should be a reason for the state's headache.

But seeing the number of such incidents in Bangladesh, it is not visible to us that the state has a headache or is worried,  said the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) chairman.

The rights body chief was speaking as chief guest at a roundtable titled  Child abduction, killing-demanding ransom: Where is the end  organised by the Bangla daily Prothom Alo at its office in the capital.

Referring to the contradictory statements of Rapid Action Battalion and police over whether ransom was paid to secure the release of abducted six-year-old schoolboy Parag Mondol, he said such contradictions create anxiety among people.

The economical and political states of the country as well as a lack in the rule of law are the main reasons for the increase in criminal activities in Bangladesh. Incidents of crime also rise when state machineries are used for political interest, he said.

Addressing the discussion, Ain O Salish Kendra Chairperson Hamida Hossain alleged that negligence in duty by police after different incidents of abduction were observed in the last few years.

Salma Khan, former chairperson of the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), said people were losing trust on the rule of law and law enforcement agencies day by day.

Echoing Salma, former cabinet secretary Ali Imam Majumder said if law enforcers failed to regain public trust, it would bring dangerous consequences in the future.

The culture of impunity is increasing crime in the society and the country's laws must be enforced strictly to reduce incidents of crime, he said.

Quazi Zia Uddin, assistant inspector general (crime-4) of Bangladesh Police, emphasised concerted efforts from people of all the sections of society to put an end to crime.

Prothom Alo Associate Editor Abdul Quayum suggested setting up a special cell under the home ministry to monitor different abduction related cases.

In the roundtable, family members of Sheikh Farid, a seven-year-old child who was killed after being abducted from Munshiganj last March, demand punishment to the killers.

Prothom Alo Feature Editor Shumana Sharmin moderated the roundtable where Dhaka University's Criminology and Criminal Justice Programme Director AI Mahbubuddin Ahmed also spoke.

Source: The Daily Star, Dhaka; 18 November 2012; link: http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=257932