Dhaka: At least 46 people were killed in ‘crossfire’ with law enforcement agencies in the first three months of the year, according to human rights advocates Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK).

In the statement ASK also found that at least 109 incidents of political violence occurred in the period under review. In those incidents 11 were killed and 1488 were injured.

At least 46 people were killed in ‘crossfire’ with law enforcement agencies during the period, it added.

Among them, 16 were killed in ‘crossfire’ with Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), 19 with police, five with Detective Branch (DB) of police and the rest were killed in ‘crossfire’ with other agencies, it said.

They also said the word ‘crossfire’ was taken from the national dailies.

In the report, ASK said 25 prisoners were ‘killed’ in police jail custody. Of them 11 were prisoners and 14 were jail inmates.

At least 65 journalists were tortured and harassed in different ways, received threats and faced obstruction during performing their duties, it added.

At least three were tortured to death, seven sustained injuries, three were abducted by Indian Border Security Force of India (BSF) in different bordering areas of the country, ASK said.

16 were killed in mass beating and section 144 was imposed in 8 different places over the country during the period.

Five houses of Hindu community were vandalised and torched while 17 idols and temples and Puja mandaps were attacked in last three months, ASK said.

The rights group also said plainclothes men identifying themselves as law enforcers picked up four people. Among them two were returned while one was shown arrested.