Odhikar, a Bangladeshi human rights organisation and FORUM-ASIA's member based in Dhaka, has published a nine-month report on the human rights situation of the country on 1 October 2008.

The report, from 1 Januarny to 30 September 2008, stated that the extrajudicial killings remain a major challenge to human rights in Bangladesh that saw a total of 116 persons being killed, all allegedly by law enforcement agencies.
In the report, Odhikar said that it noticed that in the month of September, the number of persons killed was 19, an increase from eight in January.
Among 116, 51 persons were allegedly killed by Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and 49 by police.

According to the reprt, 105 were killed in crossfire, which includes death during gunfight or shootout; 11 died due to torture by police and RAB forces.
The report added that 44 out of 116 persons who killed by extrajudicial means were affiliated to a political party, in some way or another. No action were taken against the accused in any of the cases of extrajudical killings.

Violence against Women:

Violence against women is another human rights challenge that need to be addressed immediately.

Within those nine months, 385 women or (more than 42 women a month) were raped. Out of the 164 women raped, 52 were killed after the incident, while among 221 girl-child victims, 26 were killed.
Dowry related violence claimed 154 women and 60 women suffered from acid violence.

Lack of freedom of expression and assembly, workers rights and border violence:

The other issues compiled in the report included lack of freedom of expression.
In the said period, 90 incidents of violence against journalists or pressure on freedom of expression were recorded.
Many a times, the government used covert ways to prevent journalists from reporting, for example, the issue of the Election Commission preferring dialogues with political parties behind closed doors.

Freedom of assembly was violated when the government prevented renowned university teachers, including others, from holding a press conference on 18 September.

The delay in payment of salaries to garment and factory workers, 55 custodial deaths in nine months and Indo-Bangladesh border violence were aslo mentioned in the report.
During the report period, Indian Border Security Force killed 49 Bangladeshis, injured 29 and abducted 53.
Odhikar in its recommendations demanded for end of culture of impunity and asked for investigation of every case of extrajudicial killings.

It urged the government to pay special attention to incidents of rape and be pro-active to take action against the perpetrators and practical assistance to victims including protection.