In spite of having constitutional obligation and international laws and treaties, human rights are drastically violated in Bangladesh. Although the state is the defender of all sorts of human rights, in most of the cases related to human rights violation, state authorities fail to protect its citizen’s right with the help of law enforcement agencies. Sometimes we see law enforcement agencies and administration to some extent were involved in human rights violation rather than protection of citizen’s right. Consequently, the state could not properly ensure justice, peace and security to its citizens. At the same time, human rights situation has become very frightful because of the government limited political and civil society space, restriction on freedom of expression, culture of impunity for security forces and ruling party, intimidation and extortion by the law enforcing agencies along with the ruling party leaders. As a result, all sorts of unlawful activities including Extra-Judicial killing, Enforced Disappearance, Custodial torture and death, Border killing, Attack on minorities, Violence against women were massively spread out in society. As a human rights organization, HRSS is dedicated to ensuring all sorts of human rights for people through building awareness as well as monitoring and publishing human rights situations, helping destitute people and conducting advocacy with the government and other concerned authorities from home and abroad. As part of this initiative, HRSS is going to publish Half Yearly Report from January to June, 2020. The report shows that the overall human rights condition in the first six months of 2020 is as frightful as it was in 2019 and has become deteriorated to some extend.
According to HRSS, from January to June 2020: a total of 167 persons were reportedly extra-judicially killed. Of them, 124 were killed in the name of ‘crossfire/ gunfights/infights’, 13 tortured to Death, 05 shot to death, and 25 were died in the custody in a total of 142 incidents.On the other hand, a total of 05 persons have been ‘disappeared’ by the law enforcement agencies in different incidents.
In the meantime, during the first six months of 2020, a total of 527 females were raped. Among them, 226 victims were adults whereas alarmingly 301 were children under the age of 16. It’s a grave concern that 97 have been victims of gang-raped and 19 were brutally killed after being raped. Meanwhile, 83 women were killed in family feud related violence, 17 females injured and 18 females suicide for Family feud in 118 incidents. Approximately, 39 incidents of dowry-related violence were reported, where 15 were killed and 24 women physically abused over dowry demand. A total of 93 girls and women were reportedly victims of sexual harassment. During the first six months of 2020, 04 incidents of acid throwing have occurred and 07 injured. It is also alarming that in a total of 52 violent incidents against children from January to June 2020, 18 lost their lives and 39 were critically injured.
It has been reported by HRSS that, 51 journalists were injured, 08 threatened, 11 arrested and 11 were assaulted in nearly 65 incidents during the first six months of 2020. Meanwhile, 71 people have been arrested and 103 cases filed in a total of 63 incidents of the Digital security act 2018. HRSS has also observed the incidents of attacks on minorities during the first six months of 2020, where at least 04 temples were partially or fully destroyed and 01 house attacked. Meanwhile, 01 land grabbing and 01 minority members were injured in 07 incidents. Moreover, at least 16 people were
Half Yearly Human Rights Report, January- June’20
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killed and 803 people injured in political violence, whereas around 25 people were killed in public lynching.
On the other hand, According to the half-yearly report of HRSS, roughly 24 Bangladeshi citizens have been killed, 06 injured, 08 shot, and 12 persons were arrested by BSF (Indian Border Security Force) in a total of 34 incidents.
It has also been reported that 92 were killed in a violent attack on unarmed civilians between January and June 2020. Meanwhile, in a total of 28 incidents of inhuman torture and shooting by law Enforcement Agencies (LEA), 318 people were injured, 01 hit by bullet, and 41 people tortured during the first six months of 2020.
HRSS is deeply concerned about the degradation of the human rights conditions in the country. It urges all human rights organizations as well as common citizens to raise their voice to protect and promote human rights in Bangladesh.
Half Yearly Human Rights Situation Report’2020 (Download Full report in English, PDF)
