EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

In spite of having national and international legal obligation, human rights are violated in Bangladesh continuously. The state fails to protect its citizen’s right with the help of law enforcement agencies (LEAs). Sometimes we see LEAs to some extent were involved in human rights violation rather than protection of citizen's rights. In a democratic society, it is the responsibility of the state to protect and promote human rights. The State and its all the law enforcer including administrative bodies whether they are the police, RAB, etc. have a duty to respect human rights, prevent human rights violations, and take active steps for the promotion of human rights. Unfortunately, many a time, while discharging this duty, LEAs conflict with human rights. They are pressured to get quick results, often with mis-using the power that they may use any means possible to accomplish the task at hand. However, sometimes they abuse their power by the name of “Gunfight/Crossfire/Encounter” which is the violation of Human Rights frequently occurred in Bangladesh. Consequently, the state could not properly ensure justice, peace and security to its citizens. At the same time, the human rights situation has become frightful because of the government limited political and civil society space, restriction on freedom of expression, culture of impunity for LEAs and ruling party, intimidation and extortion by the LEAs along with the ruling party leaders. As a result, all sorts of unlawful activities including extra-judicial killing (EJKs), enforced disappearance, custodial torture and death, border killings, child killings, arbitrary arrest under digital security act’18, attack on journalists, attack on minorities, election violence & vote rigging and violence against women especially incident of rape were massively spread out in the society. As a human rights organization, HRSS is dedicated to ensure all sorts of human rights for people through building awareness as well as monitoring and publishing human rights situation, 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 the Annual Human Rights Report of 2021. The report shows that in comparison of the 2020 annual report, the overall human rights situation has deteriorated to some extent in 2021.

According to collected data from prominent national dailies and HRSS investigation reports, a total of 96 people were reportedly extra-judicially killed in 2021. Of them, 50 were killed in the name of ‘crossfire/ so called gunfights/in fights’, 05 tortured to death, 36 shot to death and 05 were died in the custody in a total of 68 incidents. At the same time, about 48 persons were reportedly died in prison. Moreover, a total of 08 persons have been ‘disappeared’ by the LEAs (i.e., remained missing for at least 72 hours) in 06 incidents. Out of them, one was returned home, 05 were shown arrested and the remaining two still unknown.

On the other hand, a total of 1833 females were raped in 2021. Among them, 786 victims were adults whereas alarmingly 1047 were children under the age of 18. It’s a grave concern that 296 have been victim of gang-raped, 48 were brutally killed after being raped and 14 were committed suicide for rape. Approximately, 159 incidents of dowry-related violence were reported, where 42 were killed, 04 committed suicide and 113 women physically abused over dowry demand. A total of 237 girls and women were reportedly victims of sexual harassment and another 280 girls and women were victim of attempt to rape. In the meantime, 04 girls and women were killed and 24 injured in 21 incidents of acid violence. It is also alarming that in a total of 1725 violent incidents against children were reported in 2021, where 251 lost their lives and 1752 were physically & mentally tortured and critically injured.

Moreover, it has been reported by HRSS that, a journalist was killed, 127 journalists were injured, 52 threatened, 20 arrested and 34 were assaulted in nearly 173 incidents in 2021. Meanwhile, 178 people were arrested, 510 accused and 217 cases filed in a total of 199 incidents of Digital Security Act 2018. HRSS has also observed the incidents of attacks on minorities in 2021, where at least 189 temples and 161 houses were partially or fully destroyed. Meanwhile, 03 minority members were killed, 101 were injured and 05 incidents of land grabbing occurred in a total of 78 incidents.

The HRSS report has also found, roughly 17 Bangladeshi citizens have been killed, 10 injured, 04 shot and 30 persons arrested by BSF (Indian Border Security Force) in a total of 38 incidents. Similarly, 22 Bangladeshi people were arrested by Myanmar Border Guard Police (BGP).

On the otherhand, at least 154 people were died; approximately 5423 people injured and about 166 persons were sustained bullet hit in a total of 647 incidents of election-related violence. Moreover, at least 67 people were killed and 4522 people injured in political violence. Whereas, around 4195 persons were victim of political arrested; most of them are opposition political leaders and activists in a total of 666 incidents of political arrest by LEAs.  

It has also been reported that in 2021, in a total of 174 incidents of inhuman torture and shooting by LEAs, 2488 people were injured, 325 hit by bullet and 89 people tortured in 2021. Meanwhile, 17 labour were killed, 201 injured and another 84 were shot in a total of 47 incidents. At the same time, around 48 people were killed and 85 were injured in public lynching.

HRSS is deeply concerned about the degradation of 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.