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BANGLADESH: Two people killed and thirty-five injured by police fire in Chapainawabganj district

January 10, 2006

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ASIAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION - URGENT APPEALS PROGRAMME

10 January 2006
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UA-013-2006: BANGLADESH: Two people killed and thirty-five injured by police fire in Chapainawabganj district

BANGLADESH: Extra-judicial killing; Torture; Threat; Harassment; Deprivation of medical treatment; Rule of law
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Dear friends,

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has been informed by Task Force against Torture (TFT) of the Rajshahi district that two persons were killed by police fire in the Chapainawabganj district. The policemen were guarding the office of the rural electrification centre (Palli Biddut Kendra) while around 10,000 consumers were demanding regular uninterrupted electricity supply and a reduction of the consumption rate. Without notice the police fired on the crowd, killing two and causing serious injury to at least 35 others, who are now struggling to survive in hospitals without appropriate medical treatment. The families of the deceased persons have neither received compensation nor been assured that any will be forthcoming.

The AHRC has also learnt that the police and the office staff of the Palli Biddut Kendra tortured bullet-wounded victims, after taking them into the office compound. The perpetrators did not allow the victims to receive medical treatment.  The remaining victims are in now fear of harassment by police following two cases having been filed against them with the Shibganj police.

The AHRC is calling upon you to write letters to the relevant authorities in Bangladesh, in particular the Inspector General of Police and the Ministry of Home Affairs, urging them to take immediate disciplinary and legal action against the electricity authority and the errant policemen of Chapainawabganj district. The necessary reparations for the family of the victims must be met.

Urgent Appeals Programme
Asian Human Rights Commission
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DETAILED INFORMATION:

Name of the victims (killed):
1. Nayan Karmokar (24), son of Mr. Bishwanath Karmakar, living in Chawkkirti village under Shibganj police station in Chapainawabganj district
2. Abul Kashem Kajol (35), son of Mr. Osman Ali, living in Kanshat Abbas Bazar village under Shibganj police station in Chapainawabganj district
Name of the victims (injured):
1. Alam (35), living in Hazarbighi village
2. Benozir (25), living in Hazarbighi village
3. Felu (14), living in Chawkkirti village
4. Moinul (30), living in Kanshat village
5. Shahjahan (20), living in Dhobra village
6. Kazem, living in Dhobra village
7. Babu, living in Laughata Chawkkirti village
8. Monirul, living in Khaserhat village
9. Belal, living in Kanshat Bahalabari village
10. Rony (13), living in Barorashia village
11. Muslim, living in Pukhuria village
12. Razen, living in Pukhuria village
13. Uzzal Sing, living in Pukhuria village
14. Jamaluddin, living in Terorashia village
15. Harun Babu (20), living in Shibganj village
16. Yunus, living in Nakkatitola village
17. Kalam, living in police line area;
All the villages are under the Shibganj police station in Chapainwabganj district
Name of the alleged perpetrators:
1. Khalekuzzaman, General Manager of the Chapainawabganj Rural Electrification Centre, Shibganj police station, Chapainawabganj
2. Nasiruddin, Assistant General Manager of the Chapainawabganj Rural Electrification Centre, Shibganj police station, Chapainawabganj
3. Rafikul Islam, Upazilla Nirbahi Officer (UNO), Shibganj, Chapainawabganj
4. Policemen attached to the Chapainawabganj district
Date of incident: 4 January 2006
Place of incident: In front of the Chapainawabganj Rural Electrification Centre, at Kanshat Bazar under Shibganj police station, Chapainawabganj

Case details:

On 4 January 2006, at about 5.00pm, at least 10,000 people from different corners of the Shibganj upazilla under the banner of the Palli Biddut Shangram Parishad (Rural Electricity Movement Association) participated in a pre-declared procession demanding, amongst other things, uninterrupted electricity supply and the withdrawal of electric meter rent, to the Palli Biddut Kendra (Rural Electricity Centre) at Kanshat under Shibganj police station in Chapainawabganj district. The demonstrators were moving toward the office of the Palli Biddut Kendra to observe their ‘gherao’ (encircle) programme in front of the office. The police, who were called there to guard the office, barricaded the procession on the Chapainawabganj to Sona Masjid highway nearby the Palli Biddut office. The demonstrators became agitated facing the hindrance by the police. They started throwing brickbats at the police. Some policemen, including the Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Shibganj police station, Mr. Sahabudding Khalifa, were injured. The police then opened fire on the demonstrators. Several of the demonstrators were shot. Others tried to flee to save their lives. The police and the staff of the Palli Biddut Kendra dragged several of the wounded inside the campus of the Palli Biddut Kendra. There they beat the victims with bamboo sticks and kicked them, denying them any medical treatment for several hours. Due to their detention by the police and staff, Nayan Karmokar and Abul Kashem Kajol succumbed to their injuries.

Observing the brutality of the victims by the police and the staff of the Palli Biddut Kendra from far outside the campus, the demonstrators became agitated once more. By this time the administrative authorities were informed about the incident. They deployed a few platoon armed police, the Bangladesh Rifles’ (BDR) and the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) to take control of the situation. The demonstrators threw brickbats at the law enforcers and demanded medical treatment and hospitalisation for the severely wounded. A rescue team finally came and took the victims to the Shibganj (Health Complex) hospital. The doctors of the hospital referred 35 injured victims to the Rajshahi Medical College Hospital (RMCH).

To date, two cases have been filed against the demonstrators. The AGM of the Shibganj Palli Biddut Kendra, Mr. S M Nasir Uddin lodged a case with the Shibganj police station against more than 100 people, including the leader of the demonstration, Mr. Golam Rabbani. The Shibganj police have also filed a case against the same people. In neither case has the issue of the police shooting been raised. No separate case has been filed regarding the death of the two persons.
The victims and the villagers are now living in fear as a result of the two cases filed by the Palli Biddut official and the police. A one-member ‘Executive Probe Committee’ has been created by the government headed by the Additional District Magistrate (ADM) of Chapainawabganj district, Mr. Abdur Rahim to investigate the incident and submit a report as early as possible.

Meanwhile, the wounded victims are struggling to obtain medical treatment due to financial hardship. All the victims are unattended to in hospital despite requiring urgent medical treatment. The families of the deceased persons have not yet received any compensation from the government authority. They alleged that, when the post mortem was done, the police forced both of the families of the deceased persons to conduct the funerals for the dead in the presence of the police on the same night, despite repeated requests from the relatives not to. The relatives were not allowed to view the bodies.   

The demonstrators explained that they were bound to protest against the Palli Biddut authority, who are unlawfully receiving Taka 250,00,000 per year from 56,000 consumers as meter rent. They also allege that they could not irrigate properly due to insufficient and irregular electricity supply, which resulted in big losses to their cultivation and businesses, despite paying a high rate of consumption charges for the electricity. They demanded the withdrawal and exemplary punishment of the officials involved with the killing and attacking of unarmed people.  

SUGGESTED ACTION:

Please send a letter immediately to the Inspector General of Police and the other persons listed below expressing your concern about the extra judicial killing of two persons urging them to take prompt action to investigate the conduct of the electricity authority and the police and to ensure that justice is attained for the families of the victims.

Sample Letter:

Dear _______________

BANGLADESH: Two people killed and thirty-five injured by police fire in Chapainawabganj district

Name of the victims (killed):
1. Nayan Karmokar (24), son of Mr. Bishwanath Karmakar, living in Chawkkirti village under Shibganj police station in Chapainawabganj district
2. Abul Kashem Kajol (35), son of Mr. Osman Ali, living in Kanshat Abbas Bazar village under Shibganj police station in Chapainawabganj district
Name of the victims (injured):
1. Alam (35), living in Hazarbighi village
2. Benozir (25), living in Hazarbighi village
3. Felu (14), living in Chawkkirti village
4. Moinul (30), living in Kanshat village
5. Shahjahan (20), living in Dhobra village
6. Kazem, living in Dhobra village
7. Babu, living in Laughata Chawkkirti village
8. Monirul, living in Khaserhat village
9. Belal, living in Kanshat Bahalabari village
10. Rony (13), living in Barorashia village
11. Muslim, living in Pukhuria village
12. Razen, living in Pukhuria village
13. Uzzal Sing, living in Pukhuria village
14. Jamaluddin, living in Terorashia village
15. Harun Babu (20), living in Shibganj village
16. Yunus, living in Nakkatitola village
17. Kalam, living in police line area;
All the villages are under the Shibganj police station in Chapainwabganj district
Name of the alleged perpetrators:
1. Khalekuzzaman, General Manager of the Chapainawabganj Rural Electrification Centre, Shibganj police station, Chapainawabganj
2. Nasiruddin, Assistant General Manager of the Chapainawabganj Rural Electrification Centre, Shibganj police station, Chapainawabganj
3. Rafikul Islam, Upazilla Nirbahi Officer (UNO), Shibganj, Chapainawabganj
4. Policemen attached to the Chapainawabganj district
Date of incident: 4 January 2006
Place of incident: In front of the Chapainawabganj Rural Electrification Centre, at Kanshat Bazar under Shibganj police station, Chapainawabganj

I am writing to bring to your attention the alleged extra-judicial killing of two persons and the wounding of at least 35 others by the police of Chapainawabganj district in Bangladesh.

According to the information I have received, consumers of the Palli Biddut Kendra (Rural Electrification Centre) at Kanshat under the Shibganj police station in Chapainawabganj district were facing extreme financial losses as a result of irregular and insufficient electricity supply, despite paying a high rate for the consumption. They therefore formed a committee to protest against the situation. On 4 January 2006, around 10,000 consumers conducted a demonstration. When the demonstrators arrived nearby the Palli Biddut Kendra the police opened fire upon them resulting in the death of two persons and injuries to at least 35 others.

Immediately following the shooting, the police along with the staff of the Palli Biddut Kendra dragged several wounded victims inside the office premises and beat them. Owing to their detention inside the company premises and due to the lack of medical attention, two of the victims died as a result of their injuries.

The demonstrators and the wounded victims are in fear of being harassed by the Shibganj police following two cases being filed against them by the Palli Biddut staff and also by the police themselves regarding this incident.

In light of this, I request that you ensure a fair and thorough investigation into the alleged conduct of the electricity authority and the police.  If it is found that the alleged perpetrators committed crimes against the victims, then they must be made accountable for their actions and if found guilty of extra judicial killings, indicted under the prevailing domestic laws of Bangladesh. 

The Chapainawabganj district administration and the Palli Biddut authority must also compensate the families of the deceased persons for the loss they have suffered, and arrange all necessary medical treatment for the wounded victims.  During the investigation of the police protection must be afforded to the families of the victims. 
 
Such action by the police is taking place frequently in many parts of Bangladesh. This reflects the lack of training many police officers have in terms of handling demonstrations without the need to resort to drastic and violent measures. It also demonstrates the excessive powers the police wield and abuse.

Therefore, I urge government officials in Bangladesh to consider reforming their current law enforcement system by introducing better training programmes for the police and other government officers, including the magistrates and to make them more accountable for the abuses they have committed against ordinary citizens of Bangladesh.

I look forward to your urgent intervention in this matter.

Yours sincerely,
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PLEASE SEND LETTER TO:

1. Mr. Abdul Quayum
Inspector General of Police (IGP)
Police Headquarters’
Fulbaria, Dhaka-1000
BANGLADESH
Tel: +88-02-9562054 or 7176451 or 7176677 (O), +88-02-8362552 or 8362553 (R)
Fax: +88-02-9563362 or 9563363

2. Mr. Md. Lutfozzaman Babor
State Minister
The Ministry of Home Affairs
Government of the Peoples’ Republic of Bangladesh
The Bangladesh Secretariat
Dhaka-1000
BANGLADESH
Tel: +88-02-7169069 (O) or 8359000 (R)
Fax: +88-02-7160405, +88-02-7164788

3. Mr. Anwarul Karim
Joint Secretary (Police)
Ministry of Home Affairs
Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh
Bangladesh Secretariat
Dhaka-1000
BANGLADESH
Tel: +88-02-7164680 (O) or 8953012 (R)
Fax: +88-02-7171592

4. Mr. A J Mohammad Ali
The Attorney General of Bangladesh
The Office of the Attorney General
Supreme Court Building
Ramna, Dhaka-1000
BANGLADESH
Tel: +88-02-9562868
Fax: +88-02-9561568

5. Mr. Sayed J. R. Modassir Hossain
The Chief Justice
The Supreme Court of Bangladesh
Supreme Court Building
Ramna, Dhaka-1000
BANGLADESH
Tel: +88-02-9562792
Fax: +88-02-9565058

6. Mr. Philip Alston
Special Rapporteur on Extra-judicial, Summary, or Arbitrary Executions
Attn: Lydie Ventre
Room 3-016, c/o OHCHR-UNOG
1211 Geneva 10
SWITZERLAND
Tel: +41 22 917 9155
Fax: +41 22 917 9006 (general)
Email: lventre@ohchr.org

Thank you.

Urgent Appeal Programme
Asian Human Rights Commission

Document Type :
Urgent Appeal Case
Document ID :
UA-013-2006
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Extended Introduction: Urgent Appeals, theory and practice

A need for dialogue

Many people across Asia are frustrated by the widespread lack of respect for human rights in their countries.  Some may be unhappy about the limitations on the freedom of expression or restrictions on privacy, while some are affected by police brutality and military killings.  Many others are frustrated with the absence of rights on labour issues, the environment, gender and the like. 

Yet the expression of this frustration tends to stay firmly in the private sphere.  People complain among friends and family and within their social circles, but often on a low profile basis. This kind of public discourse is not usually an effective measure of the situation in a country because it is so hard to monitor. 

Though the media may cover the issues in a broad manner they rarely broadcast the private fears and anxieties of the average person.  And along with censorship – a common blight in Asia – there is also often a conscious attempt in the media to reflect a positive or at least sober mood at home, where expressions of domestic malcontent are discouraged as unfashionably unpatriotic. Talking about issues like torture is rarely encouraged in the public realm.

There may also be unwritten, possibly unconscious social taboos that stop the public reflection of private grievances.  Where authoritarian control is tight, sophisticated strategies are put into play by equally sophisticated media practices to keep complaints out of the public space, sometimes very subtly.  In other places an inner consensus is influenced by the privileged section of a society, which can control social expression of those less fortunate.  Moral and ethical qualms can also be an obstacle.

In this way, causes for complaint go unaddressed, un-discussed and unresolved and oppression in its many forms, self perpetuates.  For any action to arise out of private frustration, people need ways to get these issues into the public sphere.

Changing society

In the past bridging this gap was a formidable task; it relied on channels of public expression that required money and were therefore controlled by investors.  Printing presses were expensive, which blocked the gate to expression to anyone without money.  Except in times of revolution the media in Asia has tended to serve the well-off and sideline or misrepresent the poor.

Still, thanks to the IT revolution it is now possible to communicate with large audiences at little cost.  In this situation there is a real avenue for taking issues from private to public, regardless of the class or caste of the individual.

Practical action

The AHRC Urgent Appeals system was created to give a voice to those affected by human rights violations, and by doing so, to create a network of support and open avenues for action.  If X’s freedom of expression is denied, if Y is tortured by someone in power or if Z finds his or her labour rights abused, the incident can be swiftly and effectively broadcast and dealt with. The resulting solidarity can lead to action, resolution and change. And as more people understand their rights and follow suit, as the human rights consciousness grows, change happens faster. The Internet has become one of the human rights community’s most powerful tools.   

At the core of the Urgent Appeals Program is the recording of human rights violations at a grass roots level with objectivity, sympathy and competence. Our information is firstly gathered on the ground, close to the victim of the violation, and is then broadcast by a team of advocates, who can apply decades of experience in the field and a working knowledge of the international human rights arena. The flow of information – due to domestic restrictions – often goes from the source and out to the international community via our program, which then builds a pressure for action that steadily makes its way back to the source through his or her own government.   However these cases in bulk create a narrative – and this is most important aspect of our program. As noted by Sri Lankan human rights lawyer and director of the Asian Human Rights Commission, Basil Fernando:

"The urgent appeal introduces narrative as the driving force for social change. This idea was well expressed in the film Amistad, regarding the issue of slavery. The old man in the film, former president and lawyer, states that to resolve this historical problem it is very essential to know the narrative of the people. It was on this basis that a court case is conducted later. The AHRC establishes the narrative of human rights violations through the urgent appeals. If the narrative is right, the organisation will be doing all right."

Patterns start to emerge as violations are documented across the continent, allowing us to take a more authoritative, systemic response, and to pinpoint the systems within each country that are breaking down. This way we are able to discover and explain why and how violations take place, and how they can most effectively be addressed. On this path, larger audiences have opened up to us and become involved: international NGOs and think tanks, national human rights commissions and United Nations bodies.  The program and its coordinators have become a well-used tool for the international media and for human rights education programs. All this helps pave the way for radical reforms to improve, protect and to promote human rights in the region.