Human rights situation worsens

Compared to the same period last year, the overall human rights situation in this year's first half worsened as power abuse by law enforcers and political violence escalated.

The number of people killed in "shootouts" with law enforcers between January and June this year rose to 101 from 94 in the same period in 2014. Political violence, including clashes with law enforcers, claimed 132 lives, while it was 117 last year.

The newspaper came up with the findings after comparing Ain o Salish Kendra's (ASK) half-yearly report on human rights situation released yesterday with the one released last year.

The analysis shows 148 women were killed in incidents of domestic violence, while 32 women committed suicide for the same reason. However, the number of women killed and suicide were greater last year -- 161 and 54 respectively.

The total rapes this year was 326, while it was 265 last year. The number of gang-rapes was 15 while it was 14 last year.

This year journalists were victimised in 100 incidents while the figure was 60 last year.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh Human Rights Commission after collecting information from different districts and monitoring newspaper reports claimed that 1,338 people were killed this year, said a press release.