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Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) has strongly condemned and expressed deep concern over the Inspector General of Police’s (IGP) statement that police could resort to “crossfire” if the government permits it to maintain law and order.
The anti-corruption watchdog said the remark sent a dangerous message by presenting extrajudicial killings as an acceptable tool for crime control instead of addressing law enforcement failures and institutional weaknesses.
Describing the statement as a blatant disregard for the Constitution and the rule of law, TIB demanded its immediate withdrawal, accountability of the police chief and an explanation for the apparent contradiction with the government’s declared position against extrajudicial killings.
TIB Executive Director Iftekharuzzaman questioned whether the police chief was seeking to use the controversial practice of crossfire to shield the force’s failure to maintain law and order.
“Does attaching the condition of government approval to extrajudicial killings amount to seeking a way to legitimise them, while also admitting failure to combat crime through lawful means?” he asked.
He said the police were responsible for conducting professional investigations, identifying offenders and bringing accused persons to trial on the basis of admissible evidence.
Presenting crossfire as an alternative, he said, could not resolve institutional weaknesses and instead reflected professional bankruptcy.
Iftekharuzzaman also pointed out the contradiction between the IGP’s commitment to performing duties in accordance with the law and the Constitution and his suggestion that police could resort to crossfire with government permission.
“No government approval can make an extrajudicial killing lawful,” he said, adding that the rights to legal protection, life and personal liberty guaranteed under Articles 31 and 32 of the Constitution could not be set aside by executive decisions.
Regardless of the seriousness of an allegation, he said, police had no authority to kill anyone by bypassing the judicial process.
TIB recalls past cases of abuse
Referring to previous cases, the TIB executive director said the conviction of police personnel in the Major (retd) Sinha Mohammad Rashed Khan murder case highlighted the dangers of extrajudicial violence.
Reports related to the case also raised allegations of extortion, torture and killings involving threats of crossfire, he said.
The reported killing of Teknaf municipal councillor Ekramul Haque in a purported gunfight also raised widespread questions after his family released audio recordings.
Similarly, the convictions of former Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) officials in the Narayanganj seven-murder case provided a judicially established example of the criminal abuse of law enforcement powers, he said.
Against the backdrop of such incidents and public expectations for police reform and broader state reforms, the police chief’s renewed reference to crossfire raised questions about what lessons the force had learned from past abuses, he added.
Iftekharuzzaman warned that the IGP’s statement could be interpreted by officers on the ground as implicit permission to use unlawful force.
When the person responsible for ensuring that the force operates within the law presents crossfire as an alternative, questions inevitably arise about his sense of responsibility and suitability for leadership, he said.
He also questioned how the public could trust the police leadership to safeguard citizens’ lives and legal rights.
The TIB executive director referred to a statement by the law minister on September 14 that the government would not resort to crossfire to combat terrorism and that existing laws were sufficient to tackle the threat.
He asked why the police chief had subsequently raised the possibility of crossfire subject to government approval, urging the government to explain the apparent inconsistency and clarify how accountability would be ensured.
TIB calls for withdrawal and apology
TIB said any use of force by police must be lawful, necessary and proportionate.
Under international standards, the intentional use of lethal force is permissible only when strictly unavoidable to protect life, it said, adding that this limited exception could not be presented as authorisation for extrajudicial killings.
The organisation also addressed allegations that police officers had accused journalists of criticising the force because they had not received money.
TIB said any specific criminal allegations against journalists should be investigated and addressed through lawful procedures based on evidence.
Broad, unsubstantiated accusations, it warned, could undermine the role of a free media in monitoring institutions and ensuring accountability, while discouraging independent journalism.
The need to ensure proper working conditions and adequate capacity for police could not be used as a justification for avoiding legitimate criticism, it added.
TIB called on the government to obtain a formal explanation from the IGP, ensure the unconditional withdrawal of his statement and require a public apology.
It also demanded administrative accountability, including the IGP’s removal from office until accountability was ensured.
