A total of 238 people were killed at the hands of law enforcers last year and of them, 147 alone were killed in 'crossfire' involving various law enforcing agencies including Rab, said the annual report of Odliikar.

Odliikar, a human rights watch, in its report also said 522 people were killed in political violence last year while in the previous year (2003) the number was436.

The Odhikar report, prepared on the basis of reports published in leading national dailies, observed that the higher number of political killings as well as killings in 'crossfire' last year accounted forthe 'much-worsened human rights conditions in the country'. FROM PAGE 12

According to the report, 62 people were killed in 'crossfire' with Rapid Action Battalion while 76 in 'crossfire' with police and seven with anti-crime outfits Cheetah and Cobra.

Police and members of Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) arrested as many as 8,500 people in between April 18 and 30 in the run-up to the 'April 30 deadline' given by the main opposition Awarni League (AL) to oust the government. Of the arrestees. 2000 were released after quizzing while the rest were sent to jail through courts.

The report also said that police arrested 5748 people across the country during September 23-29, ahead of the October3 mass rally by AL

Last year saw five journalists killed and 111 injured in the line of duty. Besides, 292 newsmen received threats from different quarters, the Odhikar report mentioned adding that in the same period 866 women and children were raped and of them. 116 were killed following rape.

Ain o Salish Kendra (Ask), another human rights organisation, hr its annual report said apart from political killings and 'crossfire' incidents, attacks on Ahmadiyya community by the religious extremists dealt a serious blow to the image of the country.

The ASK report also said that increasing attacks on journalists and intellectuals last year trampled on the freedom of expression enshrined in the constitution.

Mass-line Media Centre (MMC). a media research organisation, in its annual report said six journalists were killed last year while 451 were subjected to various kindsofharassment.

The MMC report mentioned that the growing number of attacks on journalists have made it more difficult for them to perform the professional responsibilities.