JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF) has strongly condemned the reported remarks of Bangladesh’s Inspector General of Police (IGP) Md Ali Hossain Fakir suggesting that “crossfire” could be carried out if necessary with government permission.
JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF) is an independent, non-profit, non-partisan international human rights organization registered in France and European Union Transparency Register.
According to a news report cited by the organisation, the IGP made the remarks on October 26 while attending the inauguration of “Community Islamic,” the Islamic banking service of Community Bank Bangladesh PLC, in Chawkbazar, Old Dhaka.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, JMBF demanded that the IGP explain his remarks, withdraw any suggestion of support for extrajudicial killings and publicly reaffirm his commitment to upholding the Constitution.
Advocate Shahanur Islam, founder president of JMBF, said the remarks could deepen the fears of families whose relatives are in police custody.
“His words carry authority throughout the force, and he must make clear that no officer has permission to kill outside the law,” he said.
Mr. Islam said victims of crime deserved proper investigations, protection and justice, adding that killing a suspect could not deliver justice.
He also demanded an independent investigation into the remarks and accountability for anyone found to have ordered, facilitated or committed an unlawful killing, regardless of rank or political protection.
JMBF said Articles 31 and 32 of Bangladesh’s Constitution guarantee protection of the law and safeguard life and personal liberty against unlawful deprivation. Article 35(3) guarantees an accused person’s right to trial before an independent and impartial court or tribunal, while Article 35(5) prohibits torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.
The organisation said no executive instruction could override these constitutional protections and that describing a planned unlawful killing as “crossfire” could not change its legal character or excuse those responsible.
It stressed that criminal allegations must be established through lawful investigations and evidence presented before a competent court. The use of force by police, it added, must remain lawful, necessary and proportionate, with intentional lethal force strictly unavoidable to protect life.
JMBF said the IGP’s reported remarks required independent scrutiny, warning that they could be interpreted as a signal that unlawful violence might be acceptable with political approval.
It urged the authorities to preserve and examine the complete recording, establish the precise context of the statement and determine whether any related operational instructions, preparations or actions followed.
Citing Article 6 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which prohibits arbitrary deprivation of life, and Article 7, which prohibits torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, JMBF called on Bangladesh to uphold its international human rights obligations.
The organisation urged the government to publicly reject extrajudicial killings, require the IGP to explain and withdraw the reported remarks, protect witnesses and preserve evidence, prevent interference in the investigation, ensure accountability where criminal responsibility is established and publish the findings.
JMBF, which is committed to defending human rights, promoting social justice, and empowering marginalised communities in Bangladesh and beyond, said public confidence depended on ensuring that people could report crimes, cooperate with investigations and have relatives taken into custody without fearing that police power would be used to end a life outside the law.