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A Southern Perspective on Extrajudicial Police Killings in Bangladesh

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Abstract

Research into the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and extrajudicial killing in Bangladesh remains undeveloped in several areas. Existing research does not pay adequate attention to the causes and dynamics of extrajudicial killing in Bangladesh. Nor does it explore the issue using any major theoretical framework, such as global Southern perspectives. This chapter considers policing and extrajudicial killing in Bangladesh using Southern criminology as an analytical tool. It is argued that the lack of effectiveness of criminal justice institutions due to a colonial legacy and corruption encourages the creation of this new elite force for controlling crime and terrorism, which often justifies its existence through taking recourse to extrajudicial killing.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    According to the Asian Human Rights Commission, the army killed 58 people in custody (Asian Legal Resource Center and Asian Human Rights Commission 2006). According to the Bangladesh NGO Forum for Secular Bangladesh (Kabir 2006), the army killed 53 people in custody and physically abused 7000.

  2. 2.

    Jatiyo Rakkhi Bahini is a Bengali word which translates to National Defence Force; it was an elite paramilitary force formed on 8 February 1972 by the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman government. An order commonly known as the Jatiyo Rakkhi Bahini Act (1972) enacted the force after the liberation war of Bangladesh. It was an auxiliary force of police which turned into a private army loyal only to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

  3. 3.

    Interviews with RAB personnel, journalists and human rights activists during January 2014–June 2014.

  4. 4.

    Shaykh Abdur Rahman was the administrative head of the banned terrorist organization Jagrata Muslim Janata Bangladesh who was arrested by the RAB and sentenced to death. Shaykh Abdur Rahman was executed by hanging on 30 March 2007.

  5. 5.

    Leader of a terrorist organization, Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami.

  6. 6.

    Siddique ul-Islam known popularly as Bangla Bhai was the leader of the banned terrorist organization Jagrata Muslim Janata Bangladesh who was arrested by the RAB and sentenced to death on May 2006. Siddique ul-Islam was executed by hanging on 30 March 2007.

  7. 7.

    The RAB recovered the looted Tk16.19 crores from the possession of the two arrestees in connection with the Kishoreganj Sonali Bank burglary on 27 January 2014.

  8. 8.

    Interview with a RAB officer (anonymity requested), 2014.

  9. 9.

    Interview with human rights activist (anonymity requested), 2014.

  10. 10.

    Interview with Dr Iftekharuzzaman, Executive Director of TIB.

  11. 11.

    Interview with a mid-level RAB officer (anonymity requested), 2014.

  12. 12.

    Interview with a RAB member (anonymity requested), 2014.

  13. 13.

    Interview with an academic (anonymity requested), 2014.

  14. 14.

    Interview with a RAB officer (anonymity requested), 2014.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Chittagong, Chittagong, Bangladesh

    Md. Kamal Uddin

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia

    Kerry Carrington

  2. Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia

    Russell Hogg

  3. Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia

    John Scott

  4. National University of Litoral Santa Fe, Santa Fe, Argentina

    Máximo Sozzo

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Uddin, M.K. (2018). A Southern Perspective on Extrajudicial Police Killings in Bangladesh. In: Carrington, K., Hogg, R., Scott, J., Sozzo, M. (eds) The Palgrave Handbook of Criminology and the Global South. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-65021-0_23

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-65021-0_23

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