Crossfire part of system: FM

Foreign minister says extrajudicial killing cannot be eliminated overnight.

bdnews24.com
Published : 6 Feb 2011, 08:05 AM
Updated : 6 Feb 2011, 08:05 AM
Dhaka, Feb 6 (bdnews24.com) – Amid criticisms both at home and abroad, the foreign minister has said extrajudicial killing have become almost part of the system and it cannot be changed overnight.
"The government neither has any hand in it nor does it patronise the killings. If there is any allegation against any death, the government takes steps and investigate it," Dipu Moni told a press briefing on Sunday.
The government, she said, has no intention to hide any information about human rights situation and it discusses the issue in public.
"The prime minister during her UK visit last month met three experts on human rights and discussed the situation in the country," she said.
Lord Abury, chairman of the Standing Committee on Human Rights of the House of Lords, Abbas Faiz, director of Asia Chapter of Amnesty International, and Bard Adams, director HR Caucas, New York, met the prime minister in London on Jan 30.
"They voiced concern over the extrajudicial killings in Bangladesh and they want to stop such killing as announced in the election manifesto of Awami League," Moni said.
"The prime minister informed them that the government is not patronising them and assured them that the government would do whatever needed to stop it," she said.
The foreign minister said they discussed issues relating to extrajudicial killings, RAB, BDR, BDR trial and other human rights issues. "I requested them to give us specific case so that we can investigate it."
Dipu Moni said Bangladesh had strongly protested the recent killing of an adolescent girl by the Indian Border Security Force. "We strongly protested the incident at home secretary-level talks held and India regretted the incident."
She claimed that killings along the border continued to come down. "BSF killed 68 in 2008 while it was 67 in 2009 and it came down to 60 in 2010," she said.
"During the previous term of Awami league, 10 to 18 people were killed every year," she added.
The foreign minister said she would visit New York to submit Bangladesh's claim on the outer limit of continental shelf. "We'll submit the claim on Feb 25 before the United Nations Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf."
About the hostages of Jahan Moni taken by the Somali pirates, she said the government is hopeful of resolving the matter as soon as possible. "We don't have any choice other than patience," she said.
"I met the relatives of the hostages today (Sunday) and informed them the latest situation," she added.
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