With his hands tied, trader Abdul Basit was forced to get off a police van at Rarai village in Sylhet’s Zakiganj upazila in the dead of night on September 13, 2019.

Four alleged yaba traders have been killed in separate “gunfights” with Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and police in Teknaf upazila of Cox's Bazar district.

In the annals of Bangladesh’s parliamentary history, January 14, 2020 has secured special significance.

So, someone can be deliberately killed in “crossfire”! The “crossfire” killings, understood to be a blatant violation of all human rights laws, have been termed by an MP an “instant action” when it comes to dealing with criminals.

Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and police are making contradictory claims over the videographer who was killed in a “gunfight” with BGB men in Cumilla on early Friday.

The greatest gift that a government can earn for itself is the trust of the general public. And the best way to do so is to be transparent on matters of grave public concern and come clean on any policy failures.

The minister for home would have us believe that the crossfire deaths that have occurred in the government's pursuit to combat the menace of drugs and narcotics are not due to crossfire but occurred when the law enforcing agencies fired in self-defence only, in pursuit of the drug dealers.

Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan yesterday defended crossfire deaths saying the law enforcement agencies opened fire during the anti-narcotics drives only in self-defence.

Almost every day we find reports of “crossfire” or “shootouts” in newspapers. This newspaper reported on Monday that six alleged “drug dealers” and “robbers” were killed on the previous day.

Moments before being released by his abductors, an Awami League leader was threatened with death in “crossfire” and forced to sign two sets of blank papers and stamp papers each.

Three more alleged drug peddlers were killed in “gunfights” in Rangpur, Thakurgaon and Dinajpur districts early yesterday amid the ongoing nationwide anti-narcotics drive.

At least 97 people were killed in what law enforcement agencies claimed were incidents of crossfire between them and armed gangs in the last nine months.

It is human nature to learn from past experiences. But when it comes to deaths in so-called crossfire, law enforcement agencies seem to have learned nothing of the sort. Rights activists say almost every time a detainee is taken out for a “raid”, he gets killed. So by now, law enforcers should know that they may “come under attack” by criminals, as they claim. Then why don't they protect the detainee?

The latest report of the human rights watchdog Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK) is worrying. Apart from 68 people killed in “shootouts” and “crossfire” encounters with the police and other law enforcing agencies in the first six months of 2017, 44 persons were picked up, allegedly by people identifying themselves as members of the law enforcing agencies, according to ASK, during this period.

As many as 68 people have been killed in “crossfire” during encounter with law enforcement agencies in the first six months of this year, says Ain o Salish Kendra.

An alleged robber is killed in a “gunfight” with police in Raipur upazila of Laxmipur early today.

PM Hasina lambasts her arch rival Khaleda Zia for what she says “shedding crocodile tears” for militant suspect Golam Faizullah Fahim who lost his life in an alleged crossfire a day after he was captured by locals during a murder attempt on a teacher in Madaripur. Khaleda's criticism proves that BNP-Jamaat has link to secret killings, the premier says.

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia blames Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for the death of militant suspect Golam Faizullah Fahim in the name of “crossfire”.

We should feel happy that the police have been able to round up 189 'listed militants'. It speaks of the very good intelligence of the intelligence agencies that they have been able to cull the names of the militants and their address too, but the question is why they had to wait for the special drive and not pick them up sooner. What one interested in now is how the police deal with the 'listed extremists'.

Ironically in our politics today, ideals, principles, beliefs or ethics do not determine what “stance” our leader will take. Rather, it is determined by power -- is the leader “in power” or “out of power” -- and that will determine the stance.