Daudkandi upazila 10 minutes before the fajr prayer (around 6am),” Shajol Chowdhury told media.3
A local leader of the Awami League in Cumilla had allegedly been abducted from in front of his
home in Dhaka’s Lalmatia and was found in Purbachal area of the city at night. Some unidentified
people dragged Parvez Hossain Sarker, a member of Cumilla district unit of the Awami League, into
a car when he was returning home after offering Juma prayers at a local mosque. However, could
not say who abducted him or who dropped him.4 NHRCB expects that such disappearance cases
would come to a zero level immediately.
2.3 Extrajudicial Killing
This year has witnessed anti-drug drive in which more than 300 people killed for allegedly being
connected with drug/ narcotics business. In May, the government announced a zero tolerance on
drugs. Police, RAB, and other LEAs were accused of killing many people. the incidents of deaths of
reported drug peddlers and injury of members of law enforcement agencies during the drives against
narcotics were now a matter of concern. On 01 June 2018 media reported that Teknaf Municipality
Councillor Ekramul Haque was shot and killed on May 26. His family claimed security forces killed
Ekram.5 NHRC Chairman visited his family and urged for proper investigation of the killing.
Commission also sent letter to Ministry of Home Affairs and prepared a guideline. NHRCB strongly
believes that extrajudicial killing is a worst form of human rights violation. Despite many major
achievements of government in promotion and protection of human rights, extrajudicial killings
allegedly done by some members of LEAs is creating image-crisis for the government.
2.4 Freedom of Expression
Freedom of thought and expression has been constitutionally guaranteed in Bangladesh. Paying
respect to every article of the constitution is obligatory. In 2018 NHRCB appreciates government
initiative to sit with editors and journalists for getting their inputs on draft of Digital Security Act.
However, concern over newly Digital Security Act was noticeable. In August 4 – 5, 2018 journalists
attacked while collecting the news of protesting students demanding the safe road. According to
media report on 5 August in Science Laboratory area and its surrounding areas, and on 4 August in
Jigatala area, some journalists and photojournalists of electronic and print media were attacked
while performing their professional duties.6 In addition to this concern over arrest and alleged
3
Abducted businessman returns after a week, Dhaka Tribune, 18 March 2018,
https://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/crime/2018/03/18/abducted-businessman-returns-aft
er-a-week
4
AL
leader
picked
up,
found
later,
Daily
Star,
https://www.thedailystar.net/frontpage/al-leader-abducted-1612306
28
July
2018,
5
Ward councillor Ekramul killed in Cox’s Bazar ‘gunfight’, New Age, 27 May 2018,
http://www.newagebd.net/article/42201/ward-councillor-ekramul-killed-in-coxs-bazar-gunfight
6
Journos
attacked
while
on
duty,
Daily
Star,
06
August
2018,
https://www.thedailystar.net/city/5-photojournalists-hurt-in-bcl-men-attack-science-lab-dhaka-s
tudent-protest-for-safe-roads-1616251
Annual
Report-2018
18