Dhaka, Oct 14 (bdnews24.com)—Prime minister Sheikh Hasina has said her government will ensure stringent punishment If any member of the law-enforcing agencies is found guilty of extra-judicial killings.

Hasina made the remarks when the European Union's three-member human-rights team met with her at her office on Wednesday, her press secretary Abul Kalam Azad said.

The delegation comprising comprising ambassadors Arjan Hamburger from Netherlands, Günter Nooke from Germany and Arnold de Fine Skibsted from Denmark arrived in Dhaka on a five-day visit on Sunday.

She told them that her administration was committed to protect rights of the people by ensuring social and food security, the right to expression and other democratic rights.

"My government has moved to strengthen the Election Commission, Anticorruption Commission, National Human Rights Commission and Information Commission to ensure democracy and human rights for the people," Azad quoted the prime minister as saying.

"Personally," she said, " I oppose any extra-judicial killing." A few such incidents took place when the terrorists made grenade attacks on the forces.

"Everyone has the right to justice and similarly, to self-defence," the prime minister said.

Extra-judicial killings had begun during the previous BNP-Jamaat alliance government's rule, the prime minister pointed out.

She recalled the assistance of Netherlands, Denmark, Germany and also the European Union in the general election of Dec 29 last year to help re-establish democracy in Bangladesh.

The envoys expressed their satisfaction about the government's initiatives, Azad said, and hoped that the human rights would strengthen during her tenure.

Hasina said the previous BNP-led government had used the police for political persecution, and added that her government would never do so.

She told the envoys that parliamentary watchdog committees on ministries were formed at the first session and the opposition MPs was made head of seven committees.

The visiting delegation were optimistic about the establishment of peace in the region as well as in Bangladesh by the incumbent government.

Prime minister's principal secretary M A Karim, secretary at Prime Miinster's Office Mollah Waheduzzaman, former ambassador Mohammad Ziauddin were also present, among others.

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