Ten more die as war on drugs continues

Ten more people have been killed in what security forces describe as shootouts as Bangladesh’s war on drugs continued amid criticism from different rights groups and rival political parties.

The crackdown on narcotics rolled into the seventh day, bringing the number of so-called shootout deaths to 55.

Law-enforcing agencies claimed they engaged in ‘gun battles’ with drug traffickers in eight districts from Thursday night to Friday morning.

Among the dead, two people were killed in Netrokona, and Satkhira, Mymensingh, Jhenaidah, Cumilla and Sherpur each in an alleged shootout with police, one was shot dead in Dhaka by the RAB and two bullet-ridden bodies were found in Cox's Bazar.

The descriptions of these ‘shootouts’ coming from security agencies, are almost identical. They say during the operations their personnel only fire weapons in defence, and deaths by shooting occur only where the suspects have been armed and exchange of gunfire takes place.

However, at different times the families of the deceased came up with the complaints that they were arrested and killed.

Such incidents are often referred to as "crossfire" killings in the media and common parlance, a term that has come to imply suspicious, or extra-judicial, killings, bdnews24 reported.

Although they disapprove of the prevalence of drug in the country, rights organisations have voiced their concerns over the killings and the way government agencies are combating drug trafficking.

They are demanding an end to these extrajudicial killings.