Bangladesh Bar Council Vice Chairman Khandker Mahbub Hossain yesterday accused the government of grossly violating human rights through law enforcers to cling to power.

Assuming office in an undemocratic way, the present government has been torturing people having “antigovernment sentiments" and is responsible for extrajudicial killings, disappearances, detentions, and filing of false cases against thousands of opposition political leaders and activists, he told a press conference at the council auditorium marking Human Rights Day.

Khandker said hundreds of people with "antigovernment sentiments" have reportedly become victims of disappearances and abductions in the last nine months.

Transmissions of Diganta TV, Islamic TV and Channel 1 have been shut down so that the ruling party's undemocratic activities and corruption are kept concealed, he said.

He said unelected and controversial lawmakers have been empowered to remove Supreme Court judges to keep the latter under threat and in panic.

Khandker said human rights will be considered only tales in Bangladesh until a democratic government comes to power through an inclusive election.

He urged international human rights organisations to attract the attention of the United Nations to take steps and protect people.