Manabadhikar Shongskriti Foundation (MSF), noted rights advocate Sultana Kamal's latest outfit to protect and promote human rights, expressed deep concern over an increase in human rights violations across the country on Friday.
The organisation also strongly condemned the alleged inaction of the government to prevent incidents of human rights violations.
In its monthly report, the MSF said at least three people were killed in "extrajudicial killings" and 6 others sustained injuries in September, 2022.
According to the report, five people were abducted by law enforcers in plain clothes.
In addition to the unethical actions of some members of the police, allegations of their involvement in several crimes including indecent behaviour, torture, extortion and robbery, harassment and rape have been published in the media, the report said.
At least two people died in the custody of law enforcement agencies and four people died while trying to escape arrest in September.
The MSF prepared the report based on information published in various media and also collected information by MSF's own source.
Read: ASK September report paints grim picture of human rights in Bangladesh
During the period between September 1 and 30, fourteen people died in prison custody which is six more than the previous month of August.
Due to the lack of proper treatment in the jail, most of the sick prisoners were taken to the Medical College Hospital outside the jail and declared dead.
MSF considers that the incidents of death in custody in prisons are alarming and necessary action has to be taken urgently based on proper investigation.
Around 50 incidents of violence in the political arena during the programs of the opposition parties in different districts of the country occurred. Besides, one incident of post-Union Parishad election violence was also happened during the times in September.
According to information in the media, 50 political violence and post-UP election violence caused the lives of four people in September.
In September, 901 people became victims of violence, of which 869 people were injured, 28 people were shot and seriously injured and 29 people were detained.
Among the victims, one was members of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), two workers of Awami League and one was killed in the UP election conflict. Out of the 28 shot injuries, all are BNP activists. Apart from that, among those detained, 28 are from BNP and another agitating job-seeker.
Violence against women and children such as; Rape, gang rape, sexual harassment, suicide and domestic violence especially physical violence have continued like in previous months which is very alarming.
Around 395 incidents of violence against women and children have taken place in this month, which is 139 less than the previous month of August.
Read: Human rights situation in Bangladesh is better than US: Hasan Mahmud
Among those incidents, 62 were rape incidents, 19 were organized rapes and four were incidents of murder after raped. Among them, six were disabled women.
Nineteen journalists faced different troubles during this period. Among them, 10 journalists were attacked and injured while doing their professional duties, two journalists were sued, one received a death threat, three were assaulted, and 3 journalists were threatened in various ways due to being hindered in their professional duties in September.
MSF believes that attacks on freedom of thought and conscience and the exercise of obstacles on freedom of speech are undermining independent journalism and the free flow of information. Common people are deprived of objective news.
Being heavily criticized, harassment in the name of the law has not decreased, but rather its arbitrary abuse has created a new level of concern this month. According to the MSF, a total of 7 persons including a teenager, 2 political activists (1 BNP, 1 State Reform Movement), 3 university students and one youth were arrested in the Digital Security Act case in September 2022.
Besides,12 cases have been filed under the Digital Security Act.
Nine incidents of minority torture including vandalizing of idols, land grabbing and harassment of religious and ethnic minorities at different levels were reported during the period in September.
On September 8, idols were vandalized in the Sadar Model Central Harishava Sarvajan temple in Indurkani Upazila of Pirojpur.