Friday, December 27, 2013

Chatro League is wide scale perpetrator of eveteasing, pornography and cyber crime : Case Studies

Manabzamin, 22nd December 2013

3 Female students of DU victim of Chhatra League’s eve teasing


3 female students from the faculty of Fine Arts in DU (Dhaka University) were reported to be victims of eve teasing by the Chhatra League (the student wing of the ruling party Awami League). Another student along with the three female students was injured after being subject to beating after protesting against the teasing incident. The three injured girls have submitted written complaints to the university’s proctor. Proctor Dr. Amjad Ali has acknowledged the occurrence of the incident. General students have expressed their angry reaction over this incident. They’ve also threatened to announce harsh protests including human chains if a fair trial regarding this incident isn’t done. It was known that last Friday, during the evening the three students along with a senior male student were passing the Jahurul Haque hall while heading to Nilkhet. Chhatra League worker Anik was sitting at the gate of Jahurul Haque hall with his friends at that moment. They started uttering abusive words indicating the female students. At one point, the senior male student stood up and protested against the excesses by the teasers. Anik and his accomplices reacted furiously and assaulted him. When general students present at the scene tried to butt in and stop them, Anik called in 20-25 more Chhatra League men from the hall. Then they ganged up together and assaulted the three female students and their male companion. The Chhatra League miscreants used their pens to attack and hurt the victims. Their attacks rendered them seriously injured in the eyes, hands and feet, a result of the unwarranted shoving, punching & kicking by the attackers. They were left with bruises in their hands and their backs due to the attacks with ballpoint pens.

Even days into this despicable incident, no attempt at punishing the perpetrators was observed from the side of university administration. The wounded students had given verbal complaints to the proctor earlier and on the 21st of December they submitted written complaints. When the injured students said that they wanted to submit a General Diary in the police station the proctor forbade them to do so, assuring them of a fair judgment by the university administration. In his response to this incident, university proctor Dr. A M Amjad said that the investigation of this incident was underway and that those found guilty would be punished for sure. It is mentionable that, even besides this incident, there is also complaint regarding a previous incident that Anik and his friends tried to dishonor girls amid a concert in the Sohrawardi Uddan arranged a few days ago on the occasion of the 16th December, the Victory Day.

24th Decemeber 2013; AmaderShomoy report


Chatraleague’s Sex and pornographic cyber crime (Translator’s note: Chatra League is the student wing of Awami League, the current ruling party of Bangladesh)

Desk report: What kind of brutality is this? Taking videos of rape scenes! A case happened in Faridpdur where a 14 years old girl was raped under fear of a weapon and the rape scene was then published in the market. In another case, two rapists raped a student of class 5 near a pond and took a video on their mobile.

Headline-2
At Shokhipur, Tangail, the Joint Convener of Chhatra league with his team raped a young girl in medieval barbaric fashion. Shockingly, after the sick act, they expressed their glee after taking that video. The victim filed a case against the convicts but the Police were unable to arrest them. On Saturday morning, the victim and her family were forced to leave the area for self protection. Shokhipur upazila Chhatra league joint convener Habibullah Itihash aka Habib, upazila Chatra League leader leader Arif Ahmed, Babul Azad, nephew of Sub-division Chairman Shaokat Shikdar and his grandson Ariful Islam kidnapped the girl forcefully. They then brought her to Hazipara in Shukhipur  on motorcycle to a hostel owned by one Alomgir Hossain. Later the joint convener of Chhatra League Habib raped the girl while his accomplices recorded the scene.

Headline-3
Ahsan Kabir Mamun, cadre of the Chhatra League, recorded a video while raping a schoolgirl in Pirojpur:
As the district Chhatra League Information and Research secretary Ahsan Kabir Mamun raped a schoolgirl, his accomplices recorded it and the animals then spread it out the market. 

Headline-4
Last July in a village located at a rural area of Faridpur, a student of class 6 was raped and the video was published through Internet, mobile and VCD.

Headline-5
A young girl of Faridpur went at Chorvodrashon, for a visit to her Grandmother’s house. There she was abducted and taken to a jute field and raped by 4 rapists including Tushar, Kalam. The animals recorded the disgusting scenes via mobile phone camera.

Headline-6
In Jessore, over 100 VCD of a girl’s rape scene are now in the market. Victim’s family member and the villagers informed that the girl, who was a student of Jangal Bandha primary school, was imprisoned in Monira’s house (a resident of the village) in the same village and raped by a man named Shukur. It occurred last 14th April in the morning. The accused threatened everyone to keep their mouth shut or they would kill them.

Headline-7
At Baysha village of Keshobpur upazila in Jessore, a video of an adolescent being raped was recorded by mobile phone. The victim’s father later filed a case under Female and child abuse prevention law. Last 27th September afternoon, a girl from the local madrassah of class six was raped by Masud and Izazul beside a pond in the same village. That was recorded too by the mobile phone and released in the market.  

Headline-8
A group of criminal lured a college girl by promises of love, and after raping her, published videos in the market. The matter was only disclosed 1.5 months later. A case has been filed against three people including the rapist.

The college girl got acquainted with Parvez Sikder, son of Akam Sikder of Fulhuri village of the same upazila via a private coaching centre. She went going to Konnadoho village of the Jhenaidah to her aunt’s house on the 19th of September of this year. As she was returning back to her home 3 days later on the 22nd of September, she met with Modhu, friend of Parvez at Bhatoi Bazar. He promised to give her a ride home on his bike. He however, took her to Parvez Sikder’s house where another friend Rasel was also present. There she was raped, the scene filmed and then later spread in the market.    

Headline-9
Female leader (of Chatra League) of Barishal B.M. College recorded a video of her roommate in a naked state on her mobile and then demanded 30000 tk as blackmail. The victim could not save herself even after paying by 3000 tk. The female leader demanded more money and then shared the video with boys via mobile.

Headline-10
Local Chhatraleague leaders of Potuakhali and another one at Barisal raped students and then circulated the videos in the market. 
  
The crimes committed by these perpetrators fall under three laws. Cyber Law 2006, Women and children abuse prevention law 2000 and penal code. What has been done by Police, RAB and law enforcement to prevent cyber crime? That’s why the Chhatraleague workers are continuing to perpetrate such crimes and then spreading them in the market. They are not treating it as a severe crime. But according to Information and technology law 2006, act 54 and 55, punishment of cyber crime is 10 years imprisonment or 1 million taka penalty or both. There is no chance to ignore this crime because if we ignore it today, there would spring blue film factories in the housing estates and the videos would be circulated everywhere.  The fabric of society, already weak, would be destroyed.

Thursday, December 26, 2013

Sylhet Shibir Publicity Secretary Sohel crippled by inhuman Police torture

So what is a good way of transforming a healthy lively meritorious student leader into a cripple in the minimum time possible through inhuman torture? The OC of Kotwali Police station at Sylhet, Ataur Rahman Babul, apparently is an expert in doing so and has proved that by a recent example, resulting in a nationwide furor.


Last Saturday afternoon (December 21st), police arrested Sohel Ahmed, Sylhet City Publicity Secretary of Bangladesh Islami Chatro Shibir from Bondorbazar area of the city. At the scene of the arrest itself, police severely beat Sohel in front of thousands of people at Bondorbazar using their rifle butts, rendering him severely injured and barely conscious.  His fault was not tender or land grabbing, nor was it robbing or mugging or even attacking the police. His fault was that he was holding up high the banner of Bangladesh Islami Chatra Shibir. After dragging the unconscious Sohel to the police vehicle, the police started repeatedly torturing and beating him again.


Speaking on the condition of anonymity, an official at the Kotwali Police station stated that over excited police officers used their boots to break Sohel’s leg bones upon the order of OC Ataur Rahman Babul himself. They started torturing him again after taking him to the Kotwali police station premises. The intensity of the torture was such that it could not be believed unless seen, stated the anonymous official. But the OC was not satisfied even after all this torture. Sohel was interrogated with his eyes blindfolded. When the interrogation yielded no information of interest, the police bound him and removed the nails of his feet, a torture method resulting in excruciating pain. He was then shown pictures of different incidents and told to confess both the involvement of Shibir and his involvement in them. On refusing to do so, he was again severely tortured. After several bouts of torture, Sohel is now unable to speak. In light of the torture and absence of medical attention, he may lose his leg. Despite appeals to the police to give him access to medical care and have his leg x-rayed, they haven’t allowed him so. On Sunday, after a terrible ordeal of severe torture at the police station, Sohel was brought up to court which sent him to Dhaka Central Jail, ignoring any pleas for granting him access to medical care.


It is imperative that we ask what Sohel did to deserve to victimised in such a manner. This is because the same police that tortured Sohel remain bystanders in the face of true crime. The same police are silent on the recurrent acts of dacoity that happen in broad daylight at the heart of the city. The same police go about with their lips tight shut as ruling party affiliated perpetrators of the MC college hostel fire roam around openly in their presence. Moreover, we notice with alarm the leniency of the Kotwali station police regarding the rapists, thugs, muggers and other offenders running about freely in the city. Such selective and unwarranted incidents of torture outside the jurisdiction of any court or junctures of law have become a feature of the police during this period of political turmoil. We demand justice be served in the case of the police officials behind this shameful and despicable incident, especially the OC behind it, Ataur Rahman Babul. We also demand that Sohel be freed immediately.       
News link: Daily Sangram

Wednesday, December 18, 2013

Azan and Prayers halted in Bangladesh district for fear of security forces crackdown

Nilphamari: After 5 people were killed and around 50 injured in a clash between Awami Leage coupled with Police against supporters of the 18 Party Alliance in Ramganj Bazar of the district, the unions of Tupamari and Lokkhichap have become deserted.

The police have filed a case in this connection against 14 named and 1500 unnamed suspects, and as a result widespread terror is prevailing among the residents of Tupamari and Lokkhichap unions.

On the other hand, terror is prevalent among supporters of Jamat and BNP residing in the old Ramganj Bazar, Tupamari and Lokkhichpa unions due to them having received threats of having their houses and businesses set on fire, vandalized and looted. In Ramganj Bazar, businessmen have evacuated all of their wares throughout yesterday. A state of fear is prevailing in the area.

The "Joint Forces" raided the area in the name of arrests in the Ramganj Bazar area. They arrested an old man named Hasan Ali Miya from Sukhdon area and arrested 2 other youths from Syedpur area. After this incident the residents are in a state of fear of being arrested, and have fled their houses in fear.

After this incident the mosques are no longer broadcasting the Azan, nor are prayers being held in them.

Even though the Azan is being given from the "Baitul Falah" Mosque whose Imam Kasem Ali is a member of the "Olama League", the Awami League units for "imams" and "scholars" of the party, there are no worshippers. Azan is absent from the Jama Mosque attached to the Dubachori Dakhil Madrasa. A source from the area confirmed that no prayers were being held either.

Translated from below,

News Link: 
1. http://www.timenewsbd.com/holbengal/2013/12/17/19634
2. Newsevent
3. http://www.dailyinqilab.com/2013/12/17/149184.php

Shaheed Abdul Quader Mullah’s Final letter from jail to his wife

Translation Credit: S. Helal




[Page 1]

Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem
Dearest life-partner Peyari,
Assalamu alikum wa rahmatullah.
After the full verdict has been published today, it is very likely that, tomorrow night or tomorrow after the order reaches the jail gate, I might be taken to the condemn cell. This is the rule. 
Probably this is the last moment of the government. Hence, at the last moment they might proceed to hurriedly commit this heinous act. I suspect that they will not accept the review petition. Even if they accept it, there is no possibility, from the worldly point of view, to change their verdict. It is a different matter if Almighty Allah himself intervenes against the conspiracy of implementing this verdict. But, according to the eternal law, Allah does not do like that (intervene) all the time. 


[Page 2]
The unbelievers killed unjustly even many of the prophets. Many honorable companions of the Holy Prophet (PBUH), even female companions, were murdered barbarically. In exchange of those martyrdoms, Allah has utilized those [sacrifices] in the way of making the truth and Islam victorious. There is no way to know what Allah might [ultimately] do in my case.
Yesterday, the foreign secretary of India not only encouraged the Awamileague, but also pressurized Hussain Muhammad Ershad. She even warned him about the possibility of Jamaat-Shibir coming into the power. This shows that the phobia and the hatred towards Jamaat-Shibir have spread within every blood-cells of India. I have been saying it from the beginning that, 


[Page 3]
Whatever actions are being taken against us, all of these have been designed by India. The Awamileague cannot back away from it even if it wants to. Because this time they [the Awamileague] came into the power only by surrendering to India. 
There are many people talking about principles and ethics. The way all of Jamaat including me were framed and the way almost all of the press in our country have assisted the government in its unjust actions, then what is the point of [talking about] principles and ethics by the government? While the judiciary/trial itself has taken the role of the hangman and has become intoxicated with a desire to kill innocent people, it is not right in any way to expect the natural fair trial and justice from them. I have only one regret- I am not able to explain it to the nation of the [unjust] way we, especially I, have been given the death penalty.


[Page 4]
It is not entirely possible as the whole media is hostile towards us. But the nation and the just people of the world will definitely know the [truth]; and my death will be a cause for the downfall of this oppressive regime; and the Islamic movement will advance a long way [because of this injustice], InshaAllah.
Yesterday I read again from verse 17 to verse 24 of Surah At Tawbah. In verse 19, it is mentioned that the fighting [jihad] in the cause of Allah with one’s life and wealth is far more superior in rewards than serving the house of Allah [Ka’ba] and giving drinks to the pilgrims. This means that, Allah himself mentioned about the far higher status near to Allah for those giving their lives in the cause of Allah [Jihad] in order to establish a just society of Islam, fighting against injustice, than those who die naturally. If Allah himself wants to place me in such a honorable position in Jannah/paradise then 


[Page 5]
I should be ready to embrace such a death. Because dying unjustly in the hands of the oppressors is a ‘confirm ticket’ to the Jannah/paradise. 
Probably in 1966, the tyrant ruler of Egypt, Colonel Nasser, put to death Saiyed Qutub, Dr Abdul Quader Awdah and many others. I have listened to many lectures titled such as ‘Trials/Tribulations in the way of Islamic Movement’. More than once after such lectures, Professor Gulam Azam used to say by touching my shoulders with his left hand that, the rope of gallows might fall onto this shoulder too! My hands also went near to the shoulders [thinking about it]. If this time Allah truly implements his decision as a mean to advance the Islamic movement and [raise in honor] myself further, and as a cause for the downfall of the oppressive regime, then what is the loss in that? While speaking about the high status for the martyrs, 


[Page 6]
the Holy Prophet [PBUH] expressed his desire to ‘come back to life repetitively in order to die as a martyr again and again’. Those who die as martyrs will also express their desire in the Jannah/paradise for coming back to life and die again as martyrs. The word of Allah is indeed the truth. The word of the Holy Prophet [PBUH] is indeed the truth. There is no Imaan/faith if one doubts in them.
If they [the government] do implement their decision [to hang me] then they may not allow for my funeral to take place in Dhaka. If possible then try to arrange for my funeral at my village mosque and my house. If the people living at the other side of the Padma [river] want to attend the funeral then they should come to the area near my house. They must be informed about that. 


[Page 7]
I have already told you about the grave; it should be at my mother’s feet. There must not be any expensive/wasteful function or any innovative practices like walling the grave. Give donations to orphanage as much as possible. Take care of those families suffering losses while involved in the Islamic movement, especially those martyred during protests against my arrest and verdict. Give priorities to those families when suffering any hardships. 
Arrange for the marriage of Hasan Moudud soon after finishing the studies. Same goes for Nazneen. 


[Page 8]
Peyari, O Peyari,
I have not been able to fulfill many rights of you and of the children. Please forgive me with the intention of getting rewards from Allah. I pray especially for you that, Allah arrange for your meeting with me again soon after you will have completed your duties towards the children and the religion of Allah. Now you pray so that, Allah takes away all love, [feelings] and attractions for this world from my mind, and instead fill my whole heart only with the love for Allah and His Prophet (PBUH). 
InshaAllah, see you again on the steps of Jannah/paradise.
Always advise the children for lawful earnings. All of you be careful about the Fard and Wajib duties, especially about the prayers. Give same counsel to the relatives as well. Give condolence/comfort to my father if he is still alive until then. 

Your beloved,
Abdul Quader Mollah



Tuesday, December 17, 2013

Dr. Foyez Ahmed, another innocent man murdered by the state

In an unprecedented instance of extrajudicial killing of eminent civilians by the state forces in Bangladesh, Laxmipur branch Jamaat-e-Islami Nayeb-e-Amir, well known physician and distinguished social personality Dr. Foyez Ahmed was brutally killed by members of the paramilitary force RAB at his own home late night last Friday the 13th of December.

Witnesses stated that on Friday night, a RAB convoy of a group of people dressed as RAB came to his house in the town of Laximpur near Temuhoni area. Deceased Dr Fayez’s wife Mrs Marzia Fayez said that at about 11 pm at night, RAB forces were seen to arrive at their house and quickly surrounded it. At 12 midnight, they smashed the gate of the building and entered the house and searched all the rooms. At one point they arrested Dr. Foyez and started beating him as they dragged him to the roof. There they shot him several times and then threw him from the rooftop down to the ground. In continuity of the barbaric incident, the RAB men picked him up into their vehicle as they left.

Later, Dr. Joynal Abedin, the medical officer on duty at the city hospital informed the media that at about 1:40 am late into the night some unidentified people left a dead body at the hospital morgue. The body showed signs of serious injuries and bullet wounds in the head and in the legs. The body was identified as that of Dr.Foyez Ahmed.


At the end of post mortem, Dr. Foyez’s body was handed over to his family and taken to the Lillah Jaame Masjid, situated at North Temuhoni. There, a funeral prayer was held for the martyr. Prominent members of the civil society have asked for justice and fiercely condemned the practice of extrajudicial killing in practice by the incumbent government to wipe out its political opponents.

A facebook post detailing an eyewitness account:

Except watching my father being murdered viciously in hiding, there was nothing I could do.\

A group of 30-35 people took part in the killing operation of Dr. Fayez. There were some RAB (Rapid Action Battalion) personnel, but mostly were professional killers. Among them were also members of Lakhipur’s wanted criminal Kashem Jihadi”s group. Their main target was Belal (the son of Dr. Fayez). Belal was also at home. After they broke the main gate, Dr. Fayez himself opened the inside door. He thought they came to arrest him. Belal was then. Standing on the 3rd floor window. For about two hours, they tortured Dr. Fayez for getting information. Later they took him in the roof, shot him on head, and then threw his body from the roof. His hand was tied up earlier. And Belal was hiding there, the whole time, even his father was shot and thrown in fron of his eyes!

Dr. Foyez Ahmed was from a truly noble and ideal family both in terms of profession and serving the Deen. He was 58 years old. A successful medical doctor and a widely respected figure in the district, Dr. Foyez had been dedicated his whole life to the Islamic movement. Proprietor of a successful and popular clinic and many other businesses, Dr. Foyez was involved with numerous professional activities and social welfare charities. As a person, he was widely popular for his friendly personality, hospitality, jovial manner and kindness. He leaves behind a widely respected family of well educated children. His wife is a senior leader of Jamat-e-Islami and is well known as one of the founding members of the Chatri Sangstha, the largest female student wing of the Islamic movement in Bangladesh. 

Awami League prime force behind recent violence in Bangladesh: The media speaks

Recent turmoil in Bangladesh has been a work of the Awami League, the ruling party of Bangladesh. At one end it is killing civilians and executing opposition leaders, both judicially and extrajudicially, at the other end it is setting fire to buses, temples and institutions of minorities, homes of opposition and even their own people in order to create anarchy and justify the brutal crackdown by its own state forces. Awami League with its destructive policies is trying to push the country towards a civil war or the need for foreign mediation/ invasion to take place. It is trying to force the opposition to resort to violence by hitting them again and again and again. The media is censored, and the ones who are allowed to run are the ones who parrot the line of this government.

The media has been working by:
1. Not covering the deaths of the protesters
2. Only selective coverage of the victims of bus vandalism and attacks by miscreants, the blame of which is put on to the opposition, without any evidence whatsoever. 
3. Burn victims are shown maximum coverage, yet the claims of government hand behind such attacks is not questioned, for fear of government retribution and silencing.
4. Propaganda and publishing of false information is highly encouraged and is even given airtime by the government and ruling party officials.
5. And a myriad of other observations. Keep your eyes open and your hearts true.

Few people realize the reason behind the fact that arson and vandalism attackers are almost never caught. After seeing these examples, you will understand why. Tis the work of the Awami League, that is why.
    
Ruling party man held for torching Hindu residences:
(15th December)

One leader of Jubo League, the youth wing of ruling Awami League party, has been handed over to police by locals while he was escaping after setting fire on several Hindu residences at Debhata in Satkhira. Detained Jubo League leader Abdul Gaffar said, he torched the Hindu houses as per his local Awami League leader's order. He mentioned three more names of his assistants to police. 

Locals said, 15-20 miscreants with faces covered with masks torched the resident of Suneet Sarkar at about 11pm on Saturday at Parulia village in Debahata upazila, causing two of the houses to burn completely. Seeing this, local people started screaming and eventually the miscreant tried to run away. During this time inhabitants managed to nab a masked miscreant from the scene of the incident, who claimed to be a Juboleague leader. The people then tied him to a tree throughout the night. Abdul Gaffar, the Juboleague leader, is son of Elbahar Gazi of the same area. He was subsequently arrested on Sunday at 9 am by police.


Debhata police confirmed the incident and said that local people had detained Abdul Gaffar and handed over him to police. After due measures, the miscreant was tried in a mobile court where he was sentenced to 1 year imprisonment. Asaduzzaman Mukul, Jamaat Ameer of Debhata upazila condemned the incident and said, Awami League in reality wanted to pin the blame on Jamaat after they themselves set fire to the Hindu residents.



Three ruling party men arrested for attack on judges home:
(15th December, 2013)


Three leaders and activists of Bangladesh Chattra League (BCL), the student wing of the ruling party Awami League, were arrested with three petrol bombs while they were about to attack on the house of Justice Jahangir Hossain, judge of International Crimes Tribunal (ICT-1), at Kabilpur village in Senbagh upazila of Noakhali district.

Senbagh police led by SI Shahjahan arrested the three BCL men on Saturday at around 11pm night. The detained are - Ward No-5 Mahidipur unit BCL president Jahid Hossain Babu (22), son of Abdul Motaleb, Rasel Babu (20), son of Dulal Hossain and Omar Faruk (19), son of Shariat Ullah of Azimpur village.
 On last Thursday (12 December) night, Justice Jahangir Hossain's house came under attack despite police presence. Senbagh police Officer-in-Charge (OC) said, when SI Shahjahan went to the village of the Justice, locals caught them and handed them over to the police.

The detained were shown arrested in petrol bomb attacks on judge's home.



6 Awami League members burnt by their own petrol bomb:
(10th December, 2013)

Six Awami League cadres were burnt when they tried to throw petrol bomb to a shop owned by a Jamaat leader. The incident took place at Hapania village of Alamdanga upazilla in Chuadanga district at 8:30pm on Monday.

The injured are identified as Khokon, son of Ismail Mandal, Atiullah, son of Golam Mostofa, Intabul Hoque, son of Mohammad Ali, Minarul, son of Khoaj Ali, Hasibul son of Iajuddin Mandal and Abdul Gafur, son of Idu Mandal.

According to locals some miscreants attacked the shop of Beltu Mandal, a local Jamaat leader, at around 8:30pm. At that time 10/12 people were sitting at the shop taking tea. Miscreants threw petrol bomb targeting them. During that time they got burnt themselves.The injured were admitted to Chuadanga Sadr Hospital.

Alamdanga police officer-in-charge Rafiqul Islam said it is true that a Jamaat leader's shop were torched. But he denied of anyone being injured. The incident created tremendous sensation in the area.


Juboleague cadre held at attempt to vandalize military convoy from Shibir procession
(December 2, 2013)


Juboleague cadre Jahangir was held for attempting to vandalize a Military convoy at Feni. Police have held Jahangir (30), member of the Juboleague, the youth wing of the Awami League, who threw bricks at an Army convoy, from Feni on the 2nd of December. According to news reports, League cadre Jahangir stealthily joined a blockade procession of Bangladesh Islami Chatro Shibir and threw bricks at the convoy with a view to make implicate Shibir. However, when he cast bricks at the Army convoy, he was caught by the blockade supporters in that procession. Subsequently, he was handed over to police. It is to be noted that Jahangir is an active worker of Juboleague’s Pachgachiya union branch in Feni.

            

Wednesday, December 11, 2013

Daily Star makes another mountain out of a bacterium called Shahbag

The Daily Star has a history of making mountains out of molehills. This time was no exception. This was the link: http://www.thedailystar.net/beta2/news/thousands-gather-at-shahbagh/ in which the Daily Star initially said "thousands had gathered in shahbagh" (the article link is proof enough) while a modified article later said that " Hundreds gather at Shahbag."


One would have expected that a notable news outlet such as the Daily Star would have published a set of pictures or even one picture to substantiate the claim? Well apparently they didn't have the guts. So they published a picture from as far back as February 15 when the pastures around Shahbag looked less concrete and more fleshy and people were more foolish enough to believe anything a puppet called Imran H Sarker had to blabber on about the ghastly Jamaat and its stance against In(dia-d)ependent Bangladesh.

So what was Shahbag actually like? Lets have a panorama sneak peak :p


Yet to count to a thousand? You are not alone. Photo from 10th December evening.


'Thousands crowding Shahbag". Photo by Mohammad Munshi on 11th December at 11:30 am.

The curious case of Abdul Quader Molla

Mr. Abdul Qader Mollah is probably the most talked about Bangladeshi these days. The highest court in our country had ordered him to be executed through a questionable legal[1] process and in violation of international [2]and human rights [3]laws. Worrying yet is the huge pressure on the government, both from within and outside, to carry out the execution at the earliest date possible. Even the attorney general of Bangladesh has called for immediate implementation [4]of this judicial execution.

In this short note, we provide three damning arguments proving why the sentence by the Supreme-court of Bangladesh is in and of itself fundamentally flawed.

1.     Retroactively sentenced:  The death sentence against Mr. Mollah was handed down based on retroactively amended legislation. The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), to which Bangladesh is a state party, prohibits the retroactive application of criminal law1; and as such retroactively amended legislation is not valid in Bangladesh itself and clearly violates international fair trial standards.

One may question, what is wrong with it, as long as it serves a noble purpose – namely bringing the perpetrators of 1971 to justice. Well, first of all, the perpetrators of 1971 is a long story that is beyond our scope here; but suffice it to say, the whole International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) fiasco is far from bringing the perpetrators of 1971 to justice. More importantly, the end cannot justify the means in a legal context; and the practice of retroactive legislation can end up in very murky waters. For example, suppose a staunchly anti-shahbag government comes to power with two-third majority in the future, and passes a retroactive legislation making all activities related to the shahbag protest tantamount to treason! Then there would be no legal barrier to executing all those involved in shahbag movement.

2.     Innocence proven beyond doubt, yet found guilty: Although Mr. Mollah’s defense team was only allowed 6 defense witnesses; they were able to prove beyond reasonable doubt[5], that Mr. Mollah was not involved whatsoever with the horrendous allegations against him. In fact, he had trained to participate in the liberation war, and was awaiting his turn in Faridpur to join the battle. He resumed his studies at Dhaka University immediately after 1971, and had later become a teacher at the Udayan school and the Rifles school in the center of Dhaka. He was also a member of the Chatra Union (Matia group) and an ex-comrade of Matia Chowdhury and Nurul Islam Nahid during his student days[6]. It seems his only crime is to have taken a principled stand in the politics of Bangladesh rather than being one of the many opportunists all around us.

3.     Sentence for execution on the basis of lies and deceit: Momena Begum was about 12 or 13 when her immediate family members were brutally massacred in Mirpur, Dhaka by unknown assailants on March 26, 1971. Up until 2007, Momena Begum, a class five graduate, had neither filed any complaints to any court of law, nor brought up the issue of her family member’s massacre to any media. Then, on 28 September 2007, she gave a statement in relation to her family’s massacre to a researcher at Jallad Khana, the annex of the Liberation War Museum officer, in which she blamed her Bihari neighbours for her family’s brutal murder[7]. Of all her family members, only she survived as she had left for her father-in-law’s place two days prior to the fatal incident. Fast forward five years, and this Momena Begum reappears in the ICT testifying that she had heard Mr. Mollah was an associate of one Akter Gunda who had killed people in Mirpur (Note: sill no allegation of Mr. Mollah’s involvement in her family’s killing). Surprisingly such a contradictory and inconclusive statement[8] was sufficient to find Mr. Mollah guilty and ‘deserving’ the death sentence!!

Worse still is the recent revelation of the fact that the Momena Begum who testified at the ICT in 2012 is not the real Momena Begum, daughter of Hazrat Ali. It was ‘someone else’ – possibly an associate of the state prosecutors – pretending to be her[9]. It has been further reported, though could not be independently confirmed, that the actual Moment Begum has been kidnapped and is being held at an unknown location by the state security forces.

The judiciary in Bangladesh does not have an exemplary record of being just and fair, especially in recent times. However, executing Mr. Mollah through such a flawed process would definitely be a new (all-time) abyss, and a disgrace to any process of law anywhere in the world. We must stand up and voice out against such a violation of the fundamental rights of a fellow Bangladeshi for the sake of Truth, Justice and our Bangladesh herself.
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 for detailed proceedings.

6 Confirmed by a BAL MP in one of his writings (I can’t find the reference at the moment).


8 Justice Abdul Wahhab commented in the judgment of Mr. Mollah “PW3 (Momena Begum) in her statements made to the Investigation Officer during investigation did not implicate the accused with the horrific incident which took place on 26.03.1973 and specifically stated that the Biharis and the Pakisan army committed the crime” - http://tinyurl.com/pfyrp7g, pg.473


Note: The writer wishes to remain anonymous and would like the article to be shared widely on social media.

Monday, December 9, 2013

8 year old child shot to death by Bangladesh Police

An eight-year old boy was killed in police firing during a clash between police and opposition activists at Buhuli Bazar in Sadar upazila on Monday, the third day of the opposition’s nationwide 72-hour road-rail-waterway blockade.

The deceased was identified as Alamgir Hossain Sumon, son of Anwar Hossain of Buhuli village of the upazila.



Habibul Islam, officer-in-charge of Sadar police station, said some BNP and Jamaat-Shibir activists tried put barricade on the road. Police used rubber bullets and tear gas shells to disperse the Jamaat activists who were trying to block vehicular movement through a key road in Sirajganj by placing logs on the road. The Jamaat activists responded by throwing stones.

News reports said that as police fired several rounds of live ammunition and rubber bullets to disperse the pickets, Sumon was rendered dead on the spot and 29 others were left injured. The injured were admitted to the local clinics.

Alamgir Hossain Sumon was a Shibir supporter and pictures show bullet injuries to the neck. This was a result of police firing into crowds at the body level. May Allah grant the bereaved family justice and the deceased the Jannah. We strongly protest this killing and demand justice now.

Shahbag bus incident was carried out by the Awami League: A case study

The nation was rendered shocked at the incident by which a bus at Shahbag was firebombed, leaving 3 bus passengers dead till date and rendering more than 18 passengers with severe burn injuries on the evening of Thursday the 28th of November, 2013, the last day of the blockade program two weeks ago. The incident was blamed on the opposition by the government, and the smear campaign by government affiliated media (which sadly includes about 90% of the currently operational print and television media) that followed was intense to the point that people were force fed the fact that this was a work of the opposition. However, details have begun emerging, which not only question the prevalent assumptions of who were behind this attack, but point strong fingers at government involvement as well. Let us examine some of them:

1.     The bus service that was affected in the arson attack was the “Bihanga Paribahan” , which belongs to Pankaj Devnath, a leading Awamileague leader. Now one may ask, so what if Pankaj Devnath is a leading Awami League leader? There is strong evidence to suggest that Pankaj Devnath may have collaborated with Awami League cadres to have his own bus set on fire. Right after the arson attack, Pankaj Devnath, the General Secretary of Sweccha Shebok League, an affiliate organization of the Awami League, was declared the Awami League candidate for the Barisal-4 constituency, replacing the previous Awami League candidate Saidul Islam, the AL President of the Mehengonj in Barisal. Was this some kind of reward?
1. The same Bihanga Paribahan has been accused in a previous incident where a bus of the service ran into Khaleda Zia’s vehicle. This is a link of that incident in Bangla.

3.     Despite the presence of heavy police patrol, no one was caught from the premises of the incident that day. It is mentionable that police were present at eight points around the incident area-  in front of the Press Club, roundabout in front of National Eidgah, in front of the Foreign Ministry, Ramna Gate beside Motsho Bhaban, in front of the Engineers Institute, in front of the Shishu Park and at the Shahbag intersection. Police were of course, also present at Shahbag Police Station. They were positioned such that it would take less than a minute for the police force to reach the spot of the arson attack. Yet they were unable to do. 

4.     Strong evidence points to the involvement of the Nanak-Azam outfit. One of the people who petrol bombed the bus was identified as Jubo League cadre Masud, a close associate of Jahangir Kabir Nanak. Rasheda, a passenger of that bus, was a witness to the above claim. A resident of 16 no. slum at Adabor, Rasheda is a cleaner at a pathological lab in Dhaka. Her mobile number is 01818069026. Rasheda informed that due to previous acquaintance, she had witnessed Masud throwing a petrol bomb at the bus and that she had informed the police.  A reporter of a popular television channel had confirmed that Rasheda had narrated this incident to him in an interview. However police were found to back off from further investigation of the matter after getting wind of the involvement of AL leader Nanak. Instead, high level BNP leaders were accused and implicated, leaving no room to imagination on whether this was anything but a well planned government conspiracy.

Add to this mix up recent news of Ruling Awami League leaders Jahangir Kabir Nanak and Mirza Azam have been cleared of all charges over a 2004 arson case in which 11 were killed. Notice the timing.  It is just at this moment as if the government wants everyone to know that these two are certified ‘good politicians’. All this despite videos leaked some time ago where veteran politician Obaidul Kader confesses to the guilt of the Awami League in the bus arson incident and the involvement of Sheikh Hasina herself along with the Juboleague top brass.