By Md. Kamruzzaman

DHAKA, Bangladesh

2018 was marked with the record number of extrajudicial killings in Bangladesh, according to an independent human rights group on Thursday.

Last year, 466 people became the victim of extrajudicial killings in Bangladesh, an aid and human rights organization Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK) reported.

It is the highest number of extrajudicial killings ever recorded in a year in Bangladesh, Sheepa Hafiza, executive director of ASK, told the journalists in his briefing on the report in the capital Dhaka.

In 2017, the figure was 162, according to the report.

“The extrajudicial killings in the name of an anti-drug operation should be investigated to find out whether any innocent person was killed,” Hafiza said.

“The overall human rights situation was concerning.”

Out of total, 292 killings occurred during a seven month long anti-drug operation, which continued until national elections in December.

Bangladesh also saw significant violence surrounding the national polls, which took place on Dec. 30.

Among 67 people, who were killed in political violence in the country, 34 people were killed by the election violence, including, 19 supporters of the ruling Awami League (AL) party, four activists of the opposing Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and ten commoners.

In the report, 732 rape cases were recorded. 63 of them were killed and seven others committed suicides after rape.

It also documented over 1,000 child abuse cases, including 283 murders and 108 suicides after abuse, the local newspaper Daily Star reported citing the ASK report.

"We haven't seen effective trial and punishment. That is why these crimes are recurring," Hafiza said.

“A combined effort from the government and the general people is required to create a culture of human rights in the country,” she added.

Additionally, a total of 34 people were victims of enforced disappearance throughout the year, of which 19 people were later traced, Abu Ahamad Faizul Kabir, a senior coordinator, said.

Speaking to Anadolu Agency, human rights activist Nur Khan said that the tendency of bypassing proper judicial procedures and trial by law enforcement must be stopped at the risk of blurring all other achievements.

Khan urged the government to form an independent commission to investigate all incidents of extrajudicial killing and bring the perpetrators to trial.