On August 2, 2015 the Bangladesh Police Headquarters issued a press statement in Bangla titled “Police did not commit extrajudicial killings: statements of Odhikar and BAMAK are unlawful; only subversive campaigns”, and sent it to the media. In this, the Police Headquarters stated that the statements of the two Organisations, ‘Odhikar’ and ‘Bangladesh Human Rights Commission’ (BAMAK) on ‘Extrajudicial Killings’ are contrary to existing laws of Bangladesh, which is tantamount to challenging rule of law and the judicial system. Odhikar refutes this claim of the police; and has issued a statement in response to the allegations made by the police.
Furthermore, international human rights organisations issued statements and a Bangladeshi media published report in relation to the press statement. On August 4, 2015, the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders strongly condemned the statement issued by the Bangladeshi police, which accuses Odhikar and the BAMAK of acting illegally and subversively, simply for having published reports on extrajudicial killings supposedly committed by the authorities.
Media Release of Bangladesh Police Headquarters- (Bangla) (Unofficial translation English)
Statement of Odhikar– (Bangla) (English)
Statement of the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders- Bangladesh_OBS_2015.08.04_PR
Analytical report of the daily Prothom Alo- (Bangla) (English)
