International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearance: The Bangladesh Chapter

August 30 is the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearance. The crime of enforced disappearance may be considered a way to create terror in society, when victims are picked up and never seen again; and where victim families are left in a maelstrom of fear, uncertainty and, in many cases economic crises. The international community has condemned this form of human rights violation through resolution 65/209 ; where the UN General Assembly expressed its deep concern regarding the increase in enforced or involuntary disappearances in various regions of the world, including arrest, detention and abduction, when these are part of or amount to enforced disappearances. Through this resolution the Assembly also adopted the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance. [1]

The Government of Bangladesh has ratified the Convention against Torture, but has yet to accede to the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance. In Bangladesh today, the human rights violation of enforced disappearances is on an alarming rise. In fact, when a person is arrested or picked up by people claiming to be from a law enforcement agency, the common fear is that he may be tortured – or disappear. According to statistics from the human rights organisation, Odhikar, between January 2009 and 28 August 2014, 148 persons have disappeared. According to witnesses and family members, they were picked up by persons either claiming to be law enforcers or wearing uniforms. [1] Most of them never returned. Many such disappearances have also resulted in extrajudicial killings, or to put it in a reverse order, almost all extrajudicial killings somehow resulted from enforced such involuntary disappearances. While the government keeps trying to wash its hands of the matter, such incidents keep taking place, in a similar fashion — people going missing, families and neighbours claiming that people in uniforms or plain clothes, in white vans, have picked them up, law enforcement personnel denying their involvement and refusing to record cases, some later being found dead with marks of injury and few found alive, shaken and distraught. [2]

According to Ain o Shalish Kendro (ASK) statistics, whereabouts of about 219 people, including Bangladesh Nationalist Party’s organising secretary Ilias Ali and his fellow party man Chowdhury Alam, have remained shrouded in mystery for years. Families of the victims and witnesses blamed RAB for picking up 83 people while detective branch for 38, ‘law enforcers’ for 55 and plainclothes men for 20 others reported between January 2007 and August 2014, according to the ASK report. The report also said that at least 70 leaders and activists of the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party and Jamaat-e-Islami fell victim to enforced disappearance while 37 others were activists of ruling Awami League. No case was filed after the ‘incident’ of Ilias Ali along with his driver on the night of April 17 in the capital’s Banani, rather a general diary was recorded and it was still under investigation.

On April 27, an armed group identifying themselves as ‘law enforcers’ had picked up seven people, including Narayanganj panel mayor Nazrul Islam and senior lawyer Chandan Kumar Sarker from Dhaka-Narayanganj link road. Their bodies were found floating in Shitalakhya river after a few days. Families of the victims have accused RAB of the killings in exchange for money. Following an order from the High Court, the police arrested the then RAB-11 chief Tareque Sayeed Mohammad, also son-in-law of cabinet member Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya, the then special company commander, Arif Hossain, and the then crime prevention company commander, Masud Rana, on May 17 and May 18. So far eight RAB personnel have been arrested in this connection. The RAB men confessed to committing the crimes before judicial magistrates in Narayanganj under Section 164 of Code of Criminal Procedure. [3]

And of course few will forget the abduction and disappearance of labor rights leaders Aminul Islam on the 4th of April 2012 by security forces, only to be found dead 2 days later beside the road in Ashulia, Savar in Dhaka, his body bearing signs of gruesome torture at the hands of security forces. [10]

Abduction of students by State forces:

On February 5, 2012 approximately at 1.00 a.m. Al Mukaddas (22), 4th year student of the Department of Al Fiqah and Mohammad Waliullah (23), a Masters candidate of Dawah and Islamic Studies Department of Islamic University, were allegedly arrested and disappeared by some persons who identified themselves as RAB-4 and DB Police members from Savar. 

Both were members of the Islamic student organization Bangladesh Islami Chhatra Shibir and were allegedly detained by members of the RAB and the Detective Branch (DB) of the Bangladesh Police on 4 February. They have not been heard from since and their whereabouts are unknown. The RAB has denied detaining the two men in a statement to a Bangladeshi newspaper. However, reports from several sources and a pattern of disappearances thought to have been conducted by RAB in recent months cast doubt on RAB’s denial. [4][5][6][8]

Mohammad Zakir Hossain, an internee student of Dental at Dhaka Institute of Medical Technology disappeared on 2nd May 2013 from Mohammadpur area of Dhaka city.  It is highly suspected that he was abducted by security forces RAB and DB that night after he went out from house no. 19/6 Tkkapara, 2nd Floor, flat no. 4/e, Mohammadpur on 2nd April night at 8.00 PM heading to Dental College Institute in order to collect some important papers since he was never seen again. He was the acting President of Adabar thana of Dhaka City West unit of Bangladesh Islami Chatra Shibir.[5] 

On April 5, 2013 at around 2:25am, members of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) -5 arrested Mohammad Anwarul Islam (28) the son of Mohammad Israil and Mosammat Nurjahan Begumof Angariapara village in Chapainawabganj from house number 175 of Bil-Shimla Moholla under Rajpara Police Station in Rajshahi district. Later, when family members contacted the RAB-5 office, RAB notified that Anwarul  had never been arrested by them. An allegation of enforced disappearance was brought against the members of RAB by Anwarul’s family members.

Upon inquiry, it was found that Anwarul was a last year Master’s student of Mathematics department of Rajshahi College. Moreover, he was the Office Secretary of the Islami Chattra Shibir of Rajshahi district. Anwar was known as Masum in the area. He resided at his maternal uncle, Mr. Fazlur Rahman’s house in Bil-Shimla Moholla for his studies, since it was more convenient.[7]

Tazammul Ali, a student of the department of Islamic Studies of Rajshahi University (RU), was abducted by security forces on June 24, 2013 along with another student of Jahangirnagar University Azizul Islam. As per witness testimony, at about 11.30 pm on June 23, 2013, Tazammul and Azizul started their journey by a bus of Hanif Enterprise along with Ismail Hossain who came to Dhaka for his physical treatment. Next day, finishing their primary tasks, they went to call on a teacher of People’s University (Former student of RU). At about 5.15 pm, after the meeting with the teacher, they were waiting for bus in front of People’s University when, 8-10 members of Detective Branch (DB) of police abducted Azizul and Tazammul while Ismail Ismail Hossain was able to run away as he was away from them. No information on the two students has been uncovered to date. Witnesses said, “The security personnel arrested and picked up them on a white micro bus”. However, Police, RAB and other security forces have explicitly denied the fact of abduction of those two students.[5]

The Abduction of Shukhoranjan Bali:

Shukhoranjan Bali was initially a state (prosecution) witness against Islamic cleric and senior Jamaat leader Allama Delwar Hossain Sayedee at the International Crimes Tribunal, but became a cause of serious embarrassment for the government when he decided to change his previous statement implicating Sayedee in the murder of his brother in 1971. Instead he agreed to give evidence in favour of Sayedee claiming that the Prosecution coerced him to give false testimony against Sayedee. On 5th November last year, as he was on his way to the tribunal to testify accompanied by Sayedee’s defense lawyers, he was allegedly abducted by law enforcement officers in plain clothes and taken away in a police van. With a biased, state censored media, the Government made sure that the Bali incident did not make much noise.

The twist to the otherwise well concealed incident dramatically came about recently when a local newspaper published a report claiming that Bali is locked up in a Kolkata prison serving a sentence of 105 days for illegally crossing borders to India.[9]

Taking all the above into question, it is imperative that we all unite in understanding and realizing the fact that enforced disappearances have become a huge problem in the country today. Moreover, taking the fact that this phenomenon has spiked unnaturally during the tenure of the present government (since 2009) should act a warning to the world about the safety of human rights at the hands of this government. The first step in any solution is the acknowledging of the fact that we have a serious problem. Unfortunately, the government and the security forces still deny any wrongdoing and alarmingly insist on anointing these regular disappearances as “isolated incidents”. The government has done little, if any, to alleviate the fears of common citizens, utterly failing in providing them a better situation of law and order, which only seems to be becoming worse day by day.   

References:

1. “Out of Sight but not Out of Mind” by Saira Rahman Khan [http://1dgy051vgyxh41o8cj16kk7s19f2.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Statement_Out-of-Sight_30-August-14.pdf]

2. “Time to end enforced disappearances”, New Age Editorial [http://newagebd.net/43330/time-to-end-enforced-disappearances/]

3. The List grows longer, New Age by Muktadir Rashid [http://newagebd.net/43141/the-list-grows-longer/]

4. Urgent Appeal for Action for disappeared students Waliullah and Al-Mukaddas: Amnesty USA [http://www.amnestyusa.org/actioncenter/actions/uaa04712.pdf]

5. Abduction and Enforced Disappearances of 8 Shibir activists: Shibir website report [http://www.shibir.org/english/news/category/21/807]

6. Bangladesh: Enforced disappearance of Messrs. Al Mukaddas and Mohammad Waliullah, OMCT [http://www.omct.org/urgent-campaigns/urgent-interventions/bangladesh/2012/05/d21920/]

7. “Arrest and enforced disappearance of Mohammad Anwarul Islam by Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) members”, Odhikar Report [http://odhikar.org/arrest-and-enforced-disappearance-of-mohammad-anwarul-islam-by-rapid-action-battalion-rab-members/]

8. “Two persons were disappeared after being arrested at Savar allegedly by RAB and DB Police”, Odhikar Report [http://odhikar.org/two-persons-were-disappeared-after-being-arrested-at-savar-allegedly-by-rab-and-db-police/]

9. “Victim of the State: The Disappearance and Reappearance of Shukhoranjan Bali” by Nabil ahsan, The Platform [http://www.the-platform.org.uk/2013/05/29/victim-of-the-state-the-disappearance-and-reappearance-of-shukhoranjan-bali/]

10. “Fighting for Bangladesh Labor, and Ending Up in Pauper’s Grave”, The New York Times [http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/10/world/asia/killing-of-bangladesh-labor-leader-spotlights-grievances-of-workers.html?pagewanted=all&_r=1]

Posters on the occasion of International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearance in Bangladesh:

OC Salahuddin Ahmed Khan: The Tale of The Top Police Terror in Bangladesh

Salahuddin Ahmed Khan, notorious police official and the Officer in Charge (OC) of Mirpur Model Thana, has a reputation of being the classical example of a thug in uniform above the law; a reminder that corrupt thugs are the norm rather than the exception in Bangladesh. This is in light of the impunity he has enjoyed despite countless complaints of misconduct, involvement with crimes and regular cases of inhuman torture of detainees from money, more so in the case of political detainees, many of whom have complained of severe torture at the hands of Salahuddin under the name of police remand. Salahuddin is counted as the being the most powerful OC of the 49 thanas under the Dhaka Metropolitan police (DMP), a reason behind the fact that even higher authorities within the police department think twice before making a move against Salahuddin.

In the latest incidence of such blatant misconduct,  Salahuddin is being accused of having masterminded the police torture and subsequent murder of a garments waste trader in police custody. No actions have yet been taken against him, despite confessions of the now notorious SI Jahidur Rahman, the police official who confessed to senior police officials during interrogation that he had arrested the garments waste on the orders of OC Salahuddin himself. It was under the orders of the same Salahuddin that SI Jahidur Rahman tortured the garments waste. And it was also under the advice of the same Salahuddin that the story of ‘death in custody due to heart attack’ was concocted after the death of the trader due to torture in police custody. After the truth behind the incident came to light, the OC has tried to use his wide ranging leverage in the government ranks and categorically denied any involvement in the incident. Despite the clear cut evidence and confessions of the arrested SI Jahidur Rahman, one week on, any modicum of action has yet to be taken against Salahuddin. The apparent inaction over the incident on part of the police department gives rise to the question of the extent of the support behind Salahuddin within the administration. It also calls into question as to the identity of the specific highly powerful group backing Salahuddin.

Salahuddin: The tale of a terror in uniform

According to sources, in 1990, OC Salahuddin joined the police department as a Superintendent (SI). At the end of his training, he actively joined the police force on the 1st of August, 1991. Later in 2006, he was awarded promotion as an Inspector. From then onwards, he began showcasing misuse of power and authority. In 2007, he joined as the OC of Hazaribag thana. He was admonished and suspended temporarily several times during his tenure at Hazaribag thana in lieu of his misconduct and misuse of authority, but he came back every time, courtesy of his deep seated relations with high command and powerful leaderhip within the current Awami League government. Back after the 1/11 government took over power, he was transferred to the Rajshahi Range. But all that changed after the current Awami league government came to power. He was transferred to Keraniganj in Dhaka right after the onset of the Awami government. There, as various complaints of misuse of authority and corruption piled against him, he was transferred to Kotwali thana after being chased about by general people when he was caught red handed committing a misdeed. At Kotwali, he established himself as a corrupt unforgiving icon of terror, a nightmare to the businessmen of Old Dhaka. His tenure at Kotwali was rife with allegations of monthly extortion of traders and businessman. Those who refused to pay were picked up and after being brought to the thana, threatened with severe consequences such as torture and getting embroiled in numerous pending police cases. He was also a constant source of fear for opposition political activists. A former colleague of Salahuddin, presently a sub-inspector, speaking on the condition of anonymity, stated that the Superintendents of Kotwali were themselves in fear under Salahuddin and dreaded the fact that they had to hand over a large amount of extortion money to Salahuddin at the end of every day.             

As per sources, Salahuddin again came under the media spotlight in May 2012 after his involvement in assault of a teenage girl and beating of journalists and her lawyers in court premises. Salahuddin, along with the erstwhile assistant police commissioner, were temporarily suspended in the light of that incident. However, Salahuddin managed to garner a posting within a few days from the incident. He was transferred to Mirpur Model thana within 11th August of the same year. Despite media outcry over the issue along with an interior ministry investigation committee report against him, nothing came to pass and Salahuddin remained immune from any kind of disciplinary action. Experts say that he was actually rewarded instead of being punished for his breach of conduct.

After transfer to Mirpur, Salahuddin has turned even more flagrant in his misdeeds. A few days before the 5th of January elections, a team led by Salahuddin himself ransacked the residence of Jubo Dal leader Mamun and his brother and arrested the wife and college going daughter of Mamun’s brother in an attempt at arbitrary arrest in line with repressive government policies against opposition activists.   The incident was widely criticized in the media. At around the same time, Salahuddin was accused of leading random raids in student mess homes wherein more than 150 youths were arrested on unidentified charges and then releasing many of the detained in exchange for large amounts of cash.

Last year, a lawyer filed a case against Salahuddin in court. Since then, the plaintiff has been constantly threatened by Salahuddin, who has derided the order of the court issued against him. On the 17th of March last year, Salahuddin was alleged to have tortured a youth named Bablu and shot him directly in the leg. That youth has now lost his leg. During the night of the 10th of April the same year, two youths named Milton and Shipon were arrested and severely tortured at the hands of Salahuddin. Within half an hour of being taken to the police station, both were admitted to the National Orthopedic hospital in critical condition. They had been shot at with weapons aimed at their hands and legs. Both have become crippled. Under the command of Salahuddin, police also arrested 22 teachers from Mirpur National High School, who were holding a meeting in lieu of upcoming examinations in their school. The arrests were touted by police as being that of school teachers attending a secret meeting plotting against the government. Police under the directions of the OC then collected fat sums of money from the families of the detained. Azharul Islam, a Masters student in Social Sciences, was arrested, confined and tortured in police custody by Salahuddin. His hands and legs were broken due to severe beating during torture and nails of hands and feet removed. In the meantime, his family was threatened by Salahuddin, who demanded that they pay two lakh taka for his release. That student now has turned into a cripple as well.

A history of documented(?) corruption:

Sources say that OC Salahuddin Ahmed Khan is accused of illegally accumulating huge amounts of wealth. Salahuddin prominently featured during investigations into corruption by the Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) amongst police officials from 2010 to 2011. After the conclusion of primary investigation into the allegations of corruption, OC Salahuddin was sent a letter from the ACC in February 2011 to give a statement of his wealth and income within a stipulated time. Surprisingly however, the file containing the allegations and findings of the investigation into allegations of corruption against Salahuddin disappeared from the records of the ACC itself! The disappearance of the file on Salahuddin, keeping in mind that the files on the other police officials have remained intact, has generated a lot of criticism within the ACC. Previously, a complaint from the Interior Ministry stated that apart from more than 1 crore taka invested in the share market, Salahuddin was also found to possess wealth of several crores of taka, findings that are not in line with the earnings of a police official.

Sources state that OC Salahuddin hails from a village in Gopalganj. A senior and very powerful official in the Dhaka Metropolitan Police department is said to hail from the same place as his village area. Salahuddin, whose father was a mere school teacher, was said to have taught this DMP police official. In lieu of his personal ties with that official, Salahuddin maintains a privileged status within the force, a reason behind which many in the department are reluctant to make a move or speak out against him. When contacted by reporters on the above information of links and powerful protection, OC Salahuddin declined to make any comments.          

Finally, a case filed against Salahuddin: 

In the latest incidence of misconduct against Mirpur police OC Salahuddin, a murder case was filed on Sunday with the Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judges Court against him and nine others in connection with the custodial death of a trader. The court also ordered a judicial inquiry into the alleged murder of the garment waste trader, Mahbubur Rahman Sujon in the custody of Mirpur police.

Dhaka metropolitan sessions judge Md Zahurul Haque passed the order in response to the case filed by Mamtaz Sultana Luchi, the widow of Mahbubur, against 10 people, including Mirpur police OC Salahuddin Khan and sub-inspector Jahidur Rahman. Six people, including the plaintiff herself, have been named as witnesses. Bangladesh National Women Lawyers’ Association executive director Salma Ali moved for the complainant.

Mahbubur was arrested in the early hours of July 13 at his house at Sankar, Dhanmondi, and was declared dead after being taken to Dhaka Medical College and Hospital after a few hours. The police had initially filed a case against eight people, including four of their fellows and four police informants, on July 17, after Mahbub’s wife alleged that the trader had been tortured and DMCH doctors confirmed it. SI Jahid was arrested on July 16 along with police informant Nasim Sheikh.

A court on the next day remanded Jahidur and his informant in police custody for five days each. Mahbub’s widow alleged that Jahidur raided their house and took her husband to the police station and tortured him to death. She also alleged in the case that the sub-inspector had demanded that her husband pay him Tk 2 lakh every month. Earlier, the SI also threatened to kill or harass him in different cases if he did not pay him the money.

Six accused are still on the run. They are – assistant SI Raj Kumar, constables Anwar Hossain and Rashedul Islam, and informants Khokan, Faisal and Palash. Police have formed a committee, headed by Mirpur division additional deputy commissioner Jasim Uddin, to investigate the incident. The family claims Mirpur police OC Salauddin Khan was clearly involved in the torture and killing. In the details of the filed case, it is stated that the accused SI Zahid and OC Salahuddin misused their authority in murdering trader Sujon. His wife Sultana Lucy, while describing the incident, says that after SI Zahid reached the police station at night with the detained family, said into the wire, “Sir, I have brought the haramzada. I have (been) beat(ing) him all along. What should I do now?” The voice from the other end of the wireless said, “Close it. Or finish it.”

It is no wonder that a lot of pressure is now under the police and judiciary to actually turn their commitments and words into deeds. As the days go by, the question remains. Will Salahuddin finally be brought to justice?

References:

1. http://mzamin.com/detailsarchive.php?mzamin=MzMyODE=&s=Mg==

2. http://newagebd.net/33200/oc-sued-judicial-probe-ordered/

3. http://observerbd.com/details.php?id=33640

We demand justice for Afzal Hossain, Shibir leader from Rajshahi

After illegally arresting Rajshahi University Shibir leader Afzal Hossain, police have tortured him using hammers, iron rods and sticks, breaking his arms and legs in the process. Officials of Shibir revealed such shocking allegations against the police at a press briefing on the 26th of May, 2014. They strongly protested the incident perpetrated by the security forces.

The briefing said that police had arrested two Shibir activists, Afzal Hossain and Shahiduzzaman without any reason whatsoever on Saturday, the 24th of May, 2014. Afzal Hossain, sports secretary of Shibir at Rajshahi University was going on his motorcycle at Talaimari area beside the university at 9:30 pm when he was apprehended by security forces. However, police initially denied their arrest. In the meantime, Motihar thana police tortured Afzal using hammers, iron rods and sticks, breaking his arms and legs in the process. Despite the barbaric nature of the above, the police further claimed back then that he had been arrested from a ‘gunfight’ , and had taken Afzal at the dead of the night to a quiet area and shot his leg to prove their claim of a ‘cop catches terrorist during gunfight’ story.

Picture: Afzal Hossain beside the grave of Sharizzaman Nomani, killed by BCL goons at Rajshahi

Despite the vehement falsification, the news version produced by police has been circulating in the some news media for quite some time. There is a great need to examine and condemn the barbaric nature of the police which they have displayed in arresting opposition activists, especially Shibir activists. It will be wise to remember that just a few days ago, Jessore City Shibir president Jahidul Islam Mondol was similarly unwarrantedly detained by police and later shot in the leg in the dead of the night of 13th May 2014, the very day after his father Abul Khayer travelled to Jessore Press Club and pleaded with the police to not make his son a victim of 'crossfire'. Today, he has been rendered crippled. He was among six Shibir activists shot by police with firearms within 22 days in Jessore. The question remains, what was his fault?

Picture: Jahidul Islam Mondol, Jessore City Shibir President

What is the fault of Afzal Hossain? That he was an activist of Shibir? That he protested the injustices in the society by raising his voice? Who will take blame for such incidents of imaginary gunfights and fairytales of crossfire being regularly spun by the security forces with the full blessings of the government of Sheikh Hasina Wajed, self proclaimed daughter of peace, against her rivals and opposition activists?

Its time for the world to speak up. International rights groups like the Human Rights Watch have demanded an end to the injustice in the name of justice. Raise your voice. Condemn this barbarity. 

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

About a Shibir martyr in Rajshahi and a Refutance of Yellow Media Reports

Rashedul Haque was like any other young man in Rajshahi. He was full of life, energetic, brilliant, active in sports and passionate in his love for his country. What set him apart from many other youth was the unique blend of all these qualities within the framework his strong faith; strong unshakeable faith in the Almighty that stood the test of time and oppression. He was shot by police today at a procession at Kajla adjacent to Rajshahi University (RU) on Saturday afternoon.

Witnesses said activists of RU unit Shibir were going to Talaimari in the city in a procession to participate in a rally of Matihar thana unit of the BNP-led 18-party alliance. As the procession reached Kajla gate, RAB members intercepted it, opening fire immediately in order to disperse the procession. Being resisted, the Shibir men pelted the elite force members with brickbats. 

As RAB continued to fire live rounds on the Shibir activists, Rashedul Haque Rantu fell, victim to the onslaught. Severely injured and bleeding from multiple bullet wounds to the chest, Rashedul died while receiving treatment at Rajshahi Medical College Hospital. 

Rashedul Haque Rantu was son of Aminul Islam Tuku and Rafi Begum. He was a 2nd year degree student of Islamiyya College. His was an associate of Bangladesh Islami Chatra Shibir and was a unit President as well as Finance Secretary of his thana at Dashmari Division of Rajshahi University. This is a video of Rashed at the hospital.

Another Shibir activist and Rajshahi University Research Secretary, Arif Rahman, was sent to Dhaka after his condition deteriorated in the aftermath of being bullet ridden. Doctors have reported of receiving at least 20 activists with injuries such bullet wounds. Chaotic scenes were described by distraught activists where one broke down while describing how his fellow activist received a bullet which entered through his femur, breaking the thigh bone and got lodged into the other thigh, causing immense bleeding.

Yellow journalism regarding incident:

Prothom Alo, a beacon of perceived ‘exemplary’ journalism in Bangladesh, was representative in its yellow nature regarding the coverage of the incident as it attempted to distort facts and present falsehood in a manner that left many a reader shocked. This was the screenshot of the initial news that Prothom Alo reported on the incident with a shocking picture of a 40 something man running around brandishing an AK-47 at everyone around him. The caption was, ”রাজশাহী নগরের কাজলায় শিবিরের সশস্ত্র মিছিল। এরা এই অস্ত্র কোথায় পেল? ওদের কাছে এমন কত অস্ত্র আছে? ছবি: শহীদুল ইসলাম” which translated into English reads, “Armed procession by Shibir at Kajla in Rajshahi City. From where did they get these weapons? How many more weapons of this kind do they have? Photo by Shahidul Islam”.

The news was taken down in a flash as an authentic video was released by Basherkella within a short time of the report. The contents of the shocking video not only blew away the baseless allegations of Prothom Alo, it also gave rise to a number of questions. The video showed a couple of men along with RAB shooting at protesters in Kajla at Rajshahi. The same man who was brandishing the AK-47 in the Prothom Alo picture was seen along with his mates working along with the police. The group working along with the armed RAB squad appeared to be civilians brandishing weaponry in an expert and aggressive fashion. The weaponry used by the unidentified men include a couple of AK-47’s and a shotgun. Let us look at the raw footage of the incident.

As to the question about what could the identity of such mysterious men be is anybody’s guess. Unless we have official answers, the guesses could range from local gangsters to ruling party League men to extrajudicial secret forces provided by the Indian intelligence agencies. For now, the best answer the security forces could garner was that they fired rubber bullets in ‘self defence’. This is a compilation of the yellow nature of the Prothom Alo report in conjunction with the incident.

The questions revolving around the incident are endless, but what remains is the fact that security forces have clearly violated all norms in attempting to carry out another massacre in the name of relatively peaceful crowd dispersion. The fact that the Hasina administration has neared its end gives weight to fears that the atrocities committed now may never see the light of justice. The question remains. Was the right to peacefully demonstrate in a democratic country the sole fault of Rashedul Haque Rantu for which he deserved to be brutally murdered in broad daylight?  

We demand justice for the murder of meritorious student Rashedul Haque Rantu at the hands of this oppressive regime.