Annual Report 2016
Torture and Harassment by Law Enforcing Agencies (LEAs)
disappearance must be found out by state and
handed over to his/her family immediately.
The members of LEAs and other persons
who are allegedly involved in disappearance
and killing should be brought to justice on an
urgent basis. Ratifying of UN Convention
against Disappearance should be taken into
consideration with significance. Members of
the LEAs should be brought under effective
training and awareness program so that they
become human rights friendly service
provider.
In 2016 NHRC noticed with concern that
allegations against some members of Law
Enforcing Agencies were not working as
service-providers to the common people but
rather they were becoming instruments of
torture to the common people. Commission
has received a number of complaints against
LEAs in the year 2016. Torture and Custodial Death (Prevention) Act 2013 prohibits
physical torture in any situation and death in
custody of law enforcement agencies. But
there is little reflection of this law in practice.
Commission has been working with the government to address this matter with immediate measures as to how to bring about positive change in their mind-set and reduce the
tendency of this offence among these unscrupulous members of LEAs.
Border Killings
The incidents of killing in the border areas of
Bangladesh and India are regular phenomena. In accordance with the Treaty between
the two countries if any citizen crosses the
border of any country without approval, then
it will be treated as infiltration and that
person will be arrested and produced before
civilian authority. But Border Security Force
(BSF) is reported violating the international
norms and human rights and the treaty as
well by killing Bangladeshi people. On January 2016, a Bangladeshi cattle trader was
allegedly tortured to death by members of
BSF at Bhurungamari, Kurigram.5 Another
Bangladeshi national was killed by BSF in
Sapahar , Naogaon in the same month. 6
Disappearance
Disappearance is the extreme form of violation of human rights. There are occurrences
of disappearance all around the world. In
2016, Commission has received 11 complaints relating to disappearance. In some
cases, family members of the victims claim
that some members of LEAs, are involved in
the process. Generally, disappearance is
occurring due to many ill motives including
political conflicts undermining the rights of
freedom of thought, conscience and speech
of the victims of disappearance. NHRC
urges that the state has to ensure the right of
every citizen to move with freedom. Commission also urges that state should take
every necessary step to prevent disappearance and those who have been victims of
5
The Daily Star, 19 January 2016, http://www.
thedailystar.net/frontpage/bsf-torturesbangladeshi-death-204019
6
The Daily Star, 24 January 2016, http://www.
thedailystar.net/backpage/bsf-kills-1-naogaonborder-206473
8