Violence after the December 29 national elections caused the death of 17 people and left 500 injured, human rights organisation Odhikar said yesterday.

Odhikar in its report on post-poll violence suggests that the police should be more active in countering incidents of post-parliament election.

The report observed that though the security forces were not acting as agents fostering election-related violence, they might not be playing an effective role in countering the incidents.

The Odhikar report recommended tliat a parliamentary committee be formed to take into account the activities of various intelligence agencies during the caretaker government's rule and monitor the activities on a regular basis.

The report also stated that that Awami league (AL) general secretary Abdul Jalil was a victim of such torture.

Ute report also said that farmers in the country will continue to wilt under the pressure of production costs as the reduction of diesel price by only Tk 2 per litre is not enough to bring down the production cost of paddy.

During post polls violence following the polls, both national and local, people from the minority community came under attackwhile property was also vandalised.

Thirteen journalists were injured, three were threatened, two reportedly attacked, two were assaulted and six were forced off the university campus during the period.

The report also recommended 10 points that the government should incorporate in its report to be presented at the Universal Periodic Review mechanism of the united nations human rights council, to reflect the true prevailing human rights standard without distortion.

The recommendations include stopping all extrajudicial executions and refrain from using murder as a policing tool, setting up an independent body to deal with complaints against members of security forces for violation of rights, stop of use of torture in all forms by law officers on an individual in custody or under effective control of a member of the law enforcement agencies.