BANGLADESH: Eight people killed and at least one hundred injured by police fire in Chapainawabganj district

January 27, 2006

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ASIAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION - URGENT APPEALS PROGRAMME

27 January 2006

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UA-041-2006: BANGLADESH: Eight people killed and at least one hundred injured by police fire in Chapainawabganj district

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

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) wrote to you on 10 January 2006 (UA-013-2006) detailing the killings of two people and injuries to at least 35 others following the police opening fire on a group of demonstrators in Chapainawabganj district, Bangladesh. The demonstrators had been protesting outside of the rural electrification Centre demanding regular uninterrupted electricity supply and a reduction of the consumption rate, when the police opened fire.

The AHRC has now learned that in a further demonstration outside of the rural electrification office on January 23 a further eight persons were killed by police fire. The police had gone to remove the road blockade at Kansat Bazar, where the demonstrators, all consumers of the Palli Biddut (Rural Electrification) were demanding the release of three leaders of the Palli Biddut Subscribers Development Association. Without notice the police fired on the crowd, killing six people on the spot and causing serious injuries to many others, who are now struggling to survive in hospitals without appropriate medical treatment. Two victims have since succumbed to their injuries in the Rajshahi Medical College Hospital (RMCH).

The AHRC has also learned that the police tortured women, children and elderly people. They also molested many girls and women during police raids in the villages. The police have not allowed the victims to seek medical treatment. The remaining victims are now living in fear of harassment by the police following these incidents.

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 errant policemen of Chapainawabganj district. The necessary reparations for the families 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. Nasir Uddin (35), son of Mr. Ayes Uddin, living in Kharokpur village under Shibganj police station in Chapainawabganj district
2. Anwarul (30), son of Mr. Fakasu Mondol, living in Kanshat colony under Shibganj police station in Chapainawabganj district
3. Mannan (40), son of Mr. Mosahak Mondol, living in Shibnagar Ghontola village under Shibganj police station in Chapainawabganj distirict
4. Garibullah (35), son of Mr. Nizam Uddin, living in Kolabari village under Shibganj police staion in Chapainawabganj district
5. Manirul Islam Chowdhury (26), son of Patan Ali, living in Trimohini village under Shibganj police station in Chapainawabganj district
6. Anwar Hossain Babu (12), son of Mr. Abdul Kuddus Ali, living in Shibnarayanpur village under Shibganj police station in Chapainawabganj district
7. Daud Ali (27), son of Mr. Jarjis, living in Baluchar village under Shibganj police station in Chapainawabganj district
8. Ahab Ali (28), living in Kharokpur village under Shibganj police station in Chapainawabganj district
Name of the victims (bullet injured):
1. Durul (18), son of Rabiul Islam, living in Shivnarayanpur village
2. Mainul (32), son of Barkatullah, living in Shivnarayanpur village
3. Tarikul Islam (18), son of Shariful Islam, living in Haripur village
4. Fateh Mohammad (45), living in Chatra village
5. Mizanur Rahman (30), son of Hatkur, living in Bagbaria village
6. Kalu (45), son of Mesru Khalifa, living in Shivnarayanpur village
7. Rabiul (18), son of Sadek Hossain, living in Shivnarayanpur village
8. Mamun (13), son of Serajul Islam, living in Shivnarayanpur village
9. Moniruzzaman (45), son of Nazim Uddin, living in Shibganj village
10. Almas (25), son of Saidur Rahman, living in Shibganj village
11. Samsul (12), son of Late Gazilur Rahman, living in Shibganj village
12. Sahela, wife of Kutub Ali, living in Biswanathpur Mollatola village
All the villages are under the Shibganj police station in Chapainwabganj district
13. Samsul Islam, son of Saheb Uddin, living in Dehopara village under Bagmara police station in Rajshahi district
14. Jasim (35), son of Suchit Ali, living in Basantakedar village under Mohonpur police station in Rajshahi district
Name of the victims (beaten by police):
1. Jahanara (35), living in Kansat Bus Stop colony
2. Nawshad (75), living in Kansat Bus Stop colony
3. Hasnara (30), living in Kansat Bus Stop colony
4. Sanuara (65), living in Kansat Bus Stop colony
5. Arju Begum (70), living in Kansat Bus Stop colony
6. Afzal, living in Kansat Bus Stop colony
7. Riaz Uddin, living in Kansat Bus Stop colony
8. Sakhina Begum, living in Kansat Bahalibari village
9. Aju (23), living in Shibnarayanpur village
10. Moyna (23), living in Shibnarayanpur village
11. Sakina (12), living in Shibnarayanpur village
12. Rawshan Ara (36), living in Shibnarayanpur village
13. Arju Begum (33), living in Shibnarayanpur village
14. Rahela (22), living in Shibnarayanpur village
15. Monwara (24), living in Shibnarayanpur village
16. Monowara (23), living in Bianbazar village
17. Arju (22), living in Bianbazar village
18. Momina (16), living in Bianbazar village
19. Aram Bewa (52), living in Bianbazar village
20. Gudhi (23), living in Bianbazar village
21. Sabina, living in Bianbazar village
22. Monowara, living in Bianbazar village
23. Rahela (12), living in Bianbazar village
24. Aankhi, living in Bianbazar village
25. Benia, living in Bianbazar village
26. Modhu, living in Bianbazar village
27. Sakib, living in Bianbazar village
28. Raja, living in Bianbazar village
29. Ramjan, living in Bianbazar village
30. Osman, living in Bianbazar village
All the villages are under the Shibganj police station in Chapainwabganj district
Name of the alleged perpetrators:
Police, including the Superintendent of Police (SP) and a class one Magistrate of Chapainawabganj district
Date of incident: 23 January 2006
Place of incident: Kanshat Bazar, nearby Chapainawabganj Rural Electrification Centre, under Shibganj police station, Chapainawabganj

Case details:

On 4 January 2006, two persons were killed and at least 35 others were wounded by the firing of police during a demonstration calling for uninterrupted electricity supply in the villages under Shibganj police station in Chapainawabganj district. The police and the Palli Biddut Samity authorities filed two separate cases against hundreds of villagers, including the leaders of the Palli Biddut Shamity Subscribers Association, with the local police station regarding the incident.

On January 22, late in the night, the Sibganj police arrested three leaders of the Palli Biddut Shamiti Subscribers Development Association. The following morning (January 23), when the villagers learned of the arrest of the three leaders, they blocked the Chapainawabganj-Sonamasjid, Kanshat-Gomstapur, Kansat-Gopalpur roads demanding the release of the three arrested people. Around 40 kilometres of road was blocked by the agitated demonstrators. The police, led by the Superintendent of Police (SP) of the district, Mr. Rezaul Karim, and Class One Magistrate, Mr. Sarwar Murshed, failed to control the situation and remove the blockades from the road. They then entered into the houses beside the roads and beat women and children. When news of the police atrocities inside the houses reached the demonstrators they became violent towards the police. The demonstrators torched the wooden pillars of the Palli Biddut Shamiti. At around 3.00pm the demonstrators encircled the police on the street. Failing to control the situation the police opened fire upon the people. Six people were killed on the spot while two others, including one juvenile, succumbed to their injuries at the Rajshahi Medical College Hospital (RMCH) on January 24 early in the morning.

The firing of the police wounded more than one hundred people. Fourteen of those seriously wounded are receiving medical treatment in the RMCH. Among the victims was Sahela Khatun, who did not take part in the demonstration but received severe injuries to her head as she stood in front of her house beside the road. Her legs, hands and abdomen were severely wounded due to police bullets.

More than fifty people, including old aged men and women, and children, who stayed at home during the demonstration, were also severely wounded due to the indiscriminate beatings by the unruly police. The villagers also allege that the policemen molested girls after entering into their houses. Among the victims of the police beatings was Jahanara Begum (35), who was beaten by the police while she was feeding her child at home. Her left hand was broken due to excessive brutality. Afzal and Riaz Uddin lost their teeth when hit by police riffle buts. The victims of 41 villages adjacent to the Kansat Bazar alleged that police entered into each and every house of the area and beat women, old men and children. The victims also allege that the police inside the mosques beat many of the Muslims while they were offering their prayer. Huge numbers of victims, including women and children, have since been deprived medical treatment. They are passing time in fear of further harassment by the police. The agitated people set fire to six police vehicles to protest against the killings and beatings.

The police, meanwhile, claim that more than 50 policemen were injured in the incident. The Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Shibganj police station, Mr. Sahabudding Khalifa, said that they were going to file a number of cases regarding the incident. The SP of Chapainawabganj, Mr. Rezaul Karim, claimed that they had no alternative but to fire at the demonstrators. On the other hand, the victims allege that there was no reason for attacking the women and children or trespassing into houses that were three to five kilometres away from the place of demonstration. The victims also allege that the police were violent toward the people from the very beginning. They also criticised the ineffective action taken by the government in response to the killings of two people in Kansat on January 4. This, they believe, only encouraged the perpetrators to commit further crimes.

The district administration deployed a few platoon armed police, the Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) and the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) to take control of the situation. A three-member Probe Committee was created on January 24 by the government headed by the Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Mr. Mohammad Mohsin as Convener. The Divisional Commissioner of Rajshahi, Mr. Musleh Uddin and the Additional Deputy Inspector General of Police of Rajshahi Renge are members of the committee. The committee has been asked to submit its report within seven days investigating the reasons for this incident, determining the responsible perpetrators, followed by recommendations of possible lawful action against them. A positive outcome by the Committee and its report might end this senseless violence and further loss of life.

SUGGESTED ACTION:
Please send letters immediately to the Inspector General of Police and the other persons listed below expressing your concern about the extra judicial killings of eight persons urging them to take prompt action to investigate the conduct of the police and to ensure that justice is attained for the families of the victims.

Sample Letter:

Dear _______________

BANGLADESH: Eight people killed and at least one hundred injured by police fire in Chapainawabganj district

I am writing to bring to your attention the alleged extra-judicial killings of eight persons and the wounding of many others by the police of Chapainawabganj district in Bangladesh.

According to the information I have received, following the arrest of three leaders of the Palli Biddut Samiti Subscribers Development Association, the villagers of Shobganj police station conducted road blockades at Kansat Bazar area under Chapainawabganj district on the morning of 23 January 2006. The police reportedly arrested the three people following another incident involving the killing of two people and the wounding of at least 35 others by police fire at the same place on January 4, when the 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 January 23, the villagers conducted a demonstration demanding the release of the three leaders of the Association. When the police failed to remove the road-blockades they entered into the houses in the area and beat women, the elderly and children. They also molested girls and women and beat Muslims offering prayers in mosques. The villagers became agitated upon hearing of these atrocities by the police. When the demonstrators encircled the police, the police opened fire upon them resulting in the death of six persons on the spot and injuries to hundreds. Two more people later succumbed to their injuries at the Rajshahi Medical College Hospital (RMCH).

I have been informed that the demonstrators and the wounded victims are now living in fear of being harassed by the Shibganj police following this incident.

In light of this, I request that you ensure a fair and thorough investigation into the alleged conduct of 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 government authority must also compensate the families of the deceased persons for the losses they suffered and arrange all necessary medical treatment for the wounded victims. During the investigation of the police protection must be afforded to the victims.

Such action by the police is taking place more and more 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 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 MP
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 Peoples 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. Dr. Baharul Islam BPM
Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG)
Rajshahi Range
Office of the DIG of Rajshahi Range
Rajshahi
BANGLADESH
Tel: +88-0721-772309 (O)
Fax: +88-0721-775444 (O)

7. 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

8. Ms. Yakin Erturk
Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women
c/o Ms Lucinda Ohanlon
Room 3-042
OHCHR-UNOG, Palais Wilson,
8-14 Avenue de la Paix,
1211 Geneva 10
SWITZERLAND
Tel: +41 22 917 9615
Fax: +41 22 917 9006 (Attn: Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women)
Email: lohanlon@ohchr.org

9. Mr. Jacob Egbert Doek
Chairperson
Committee on the Rights of the Child
OHCHR-UNOG
8-14 Avenue de la Paix
1211 Geneva 10
SWITZERLAND
Fax: +41 22 917 9022

Thank you.

Urgent Appeal Programme
Asian Human Rights Commission

Document Type :

Urgent Appeal Case

Document ID :

UA-041-2006

Countries :

Bangladesh

Issues :

Police violence