Home / News / Urgent Appeals / BANGLADESH: Man killed by the Rajarhat police in Kurigram district
 

BANGLADESH: Man killed by the Rajarhat police in Kurigram district

June 25, 2006

URGENT ACTION URGENT ACTION URGENT ACTION URGENT ACTION URGENT ACTION

ASIAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION - URGENT APPEALS PROGRAMME

26 June 2006
-----------------------------------
UA-201-2006: BANGLADESH: Man killed by the Rajarhat police in Kurigram district

BANGLADESH: Arbitrary arrest; torture; extra-judicial killing; collapse of rule of law
------------------------------------------------------

Dear friends,

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has been informed that the Rajarhat police in Kurigram district allegedly killed a man on the night of 22 June 2006. Mr. Kasi Uddin went to the police and requested the release of his younger brother, Mr. Tajul Islam, who had earlier been arrested. Sub Inspector of Police, Mr. Abdul Hakim, kicked him with his boots and other policemen also beat him. As a result, Kasim died at the scene. Government officials assured local villagers that the perpetrators would be punished. However, only one person has been suspended and arrested in connection with the case leaving the others to walk free.

On 22 June 2006, at around 12:30 am, the people of Mirerbari village under Rajarhat police station in Kurigram district were to watch a World Cup football game on television. A police team led by Sub Inspector (SI) Mr. Abdul Hakim, and including Assistant Sub Inspector (ASI) Mr. Nuruzzaman, Constables Mr. Mizan, Mr. Anwar, Mr. Mannan, Mr. Nurul Islam, Mr. Haidar and Mr. Sukumar, went to the Bangal para area of Mirerbari village to arrest an accused in a petition case. On the way the police arrested four persons, Mr. Tajul Islam, Mr. Ataur Rahman, Mr. Mosharraf and Mr. Fazlu Mian for playing cards in the venue where the football was to be televised.

Upon hearing of the arrests, Tajul's elder brother, Mr. Kasim Uddin, went to the police team. Mr. Kasim requested SI Mr. Abdul Hakim to release his brother. SI Abdul Hakim kicked Kasim in the genitals causing Kasim to fall to the ground. The other policemen then proceeded to beat Kasim with sticks and boots. As a result, Kasim died at the scene.

The villagers became angry with the police after the brutal killing of Mr. Kasim. They surrounded the policemen, removed the air from the police van's wheel and dug a hole in the road so that the police could not escape. SI Mr. Abdul Hakim managed to escape to a nearby house but the villagers followed him and trapped him inside.

Upon learning of this situation the Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), Mr. Kazi Foyzul Hossain, the Officer-in-Charge (OC) of the Rajarhat police station, Mr. Golam Moktadir and the Chairman of the Senai union council, Mr. Sadequl Haque Nuru went to the scene but were unable to control it. In the morning, the Additional District Magistrate (ADM) of Kurigram, Mr. Santosh Kumar Adhikari, the Upazilla Nirbahi Officer (UNO) of Rajarhat, Mr. Md. Mokbul Hossain, the Public Prosecutor (PP) and the president of the district Bangladesh Nationalist Party, Mr. Idris Ali, also went to the scene. They assured the agitated villagers that the alleged perpetrators would be punished by the authorities. Then, at around 11:30 am, the villagers released the policemen and handed over the dead body to the administrators.

The ADM, Mr. Santosh Kumar Adhikari said that SI Mr. Abdul Hakim has been arrested and suspended following the family of the deceased having lodged a case against the policemen. The post-mortem was conducted in the Kurigram Sadar Hospital of which the report has not yet been released. Furthermore, the authorities have not yet taken any serious action against the perpetrators regarding the beating and murder of Mr. Kasim. 

SUGGESTED ACTION:

Please send a letter to the Prime Minister and the other persons listed below expressing your concern and urging them to take prompt action to investigate the conduct of the police to ensure that justice is attained for the victim's family. Please urge them to arrange appropriate protection for the family of the victim and highlight that necessary compensation must be afforded to them.

Automated email letters can be sent by the AHRC Urgent Appeals on-line support system. To support this appeal please refer to http://www.ahrchk.net/support.php?ua=UA-201-2006. For those contacts without an email address, we ask that you still write a letter and post or fax this. If you have any problems or questions using this system, please feel free to contact us at ua@ahrchk.org.

Suggested letter:

Dear _______________

BANGLADESH: Man killed by the Rajarhat police in Kurigram district

Name of victim (tortured and killed):
1. Mr. Kasim Uddin (45), formerly of Mirerbag village under Rajarhat police station in Kurigram district
Names of victims (arrested by the police):
1. Mr. Tajul Islam (22), living in Mirerbari village under Rajarhat police station in Kurigram district
2. Mr. Ataur Rahman (20), living in Mirerbari village under Rajarhat police station in Kurigram district
3. Mr. Mosharraf (25), living in Mirerbari village under Rajarhat police station in Kurigram district
4. Mr. Fazlu Mian (21), living in Mirerbari village under Rajarhat police station in Kurigram district
Names of alleged perpetrators:
1. Mr. Abdul Hakim, Sub Inspector (SI) attached to the Rajarhat police station in Kurigram district
2. Mr. Nuruzzaman, Assistant Sub Inspector (ASI) attached to the Rajarhat police station in Kurigram district
3. Mr. Mizan, Police Constable attached to the Rajarhat police station in Kurigram district
4. Mr. Anwar, Police Constable attached to the Rajarhat police station in Kurigram district
5. Mr. Mannan, Police Constable attached to the Rajarhat police station in Kurigram district
6. Mr. Nurul Islam, Police Constable attached to the Rajarhat police station in Kurigram district
7. Mr. Haidar, Police Constable attached to the Rajarhat police station in Kurigram district
8. Mr. Sukumar, Police Constable attached to the Rajarhat police station in Kurigram district
Date of incident: 22 June 2006
Place of incident: Mirerbari village under Rajarhat police station area in Kurigram district, Bangladesh

I am writing to bring to your attention the torture related death of a man allegedly by the Rajarhat police under the Kurigram district.

According to the information I have received, on 22 June 2006, at around 12:30 am, a police team led by Sub Inspector (SI) Mr. Abdul Hakim, and including Assistant Sub Inspector (ASI) Mr. Nuruzzaman, Constables Mr. Mizan, Mr. Anwar, Mr. Mannan, Mr. Nurul Islam, Mr. Haidar and Mr. Sukumar, went to the Bangal para area of Mirerbari village and arrested four persons, Mr. Tajul Islam, Mr. Ataur Rahman, Mr. Mosharraf and Mr. Fazlu Mian for playing cards. Upon hearing of the arrests Tajul's elder brother, Mr. Kasim Uddin, approached the police team. Mr. Kasim requested SI Mr. Abdul Hakim to release his brother. However, in response SI Abdul Hakim kicked Kasim in the genitals causing Kasim to fall to the ground. The other policemen then proceeded to beat Kasim with sticks and boots. As a result, Kasim died at the scene.

I am aware that the villagers became enraged by the killing of Mr. Kasim and surrounded the police team to ensure that the policemen could not escape. SI Mr. Abdul Hakim managed to flee to a nearby house, but again the villagers surrounded him.

I have learned that a team led by the Additional District Magistrate (ADM), Mr. Santosh Kumar Adhikari, along with the Upazilla Nirbahi Officer (UNO) of Rajarhat, Mr. Md. Mokbul Hossain, the Public Prosecutor (PP) and the president of the district Bangladesh Nationalist Party, Mr. Idris Ali, went to the scene while another team led by the Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), Mr. Kazi Foyzul Hossain, the Officer-in-Charge (OC) of the Rajarhat police station, Mr. Golam Moktadir and the Chairman of the Senai union council, Mr. Sadequl Haque Nuru, also went but were unable to control the situation. The ADM assured the villagers that appropriate action would be taken against those responsible.

I am informed that SI Abdul Hakim has been suspended and arrested in connection with the case lodged by the deceased's family. However, to my knowledge the authorities have taken no further action against the alleged perpetrators.

In light of this, I request that you arrest and suspend the rest of the alleged perpetrators, and 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 held accountable for their actions and if found guilty of crimes, indicted under the prevailing domestic laws of Bangladesh. 

I look forward to your urgent intervention in this matter.

Yours sincerely,
---------------

PLEASE SEND YOUR LETTERS TO:

1. Mrs. Begum Khaleda Zia
Prime Minister
The Government of the Peoples' Republic of Bangladesh
Office of the Prime Minister
Old Parliament House,
Tejgaon, Dhaka
BANGLADESH
Tel: +880 2 8828160-79, 9888677
Fax: +880 2 8113244 or 3243 or 1015 or 1490
E-mail: pm@pmobd.org or psecretary@pmobd.org (to the Secretary)

2. Mr. Md. Lutfozzaman Babor MP
State Minister
The Ministry of Home Affairs
The Government of the Peoples¡¦ Republic of Bangladesh
The Bangladesh Secretariat
Dhaka-1000
BANGLADESH
Tel: +880 2 7169069 (O) or 8359000 (R)
Fax: +880 2 7160405, +880 2 7164788

3. Mr. Sayed J. R. Modassir Hossain
The Chief Justice
The Supreme Court of Bangladesh
Supreme Court Building
Ramna, Dhaka-1000
BANGLADESH
Tel: +880 2 9562792
Fax: +880 2 9565058

4. Mr. A J Mohammad Ali
Attorney General of Bangladesh
Office of the Attorney General
Supreme Court Building
Ramna, Dhaka-1000
BANGLADESH
Tel: +880 2 9562868
Fax: +880 2 9561568

5. Mr. Abdul Quayum
Inspector General of Police (IGP)
Bangladesh Police
Police Headquarters
Fulbaria, Dhaka-1000
BANGLADESH
Tel: +880 2 9562054 or 7176451 or 7176677 (O), +880 2 8362552 or 8362553 (R)
Fax: +880 2 9563362 or 9563363

6. Mr. Dr. Baharul Alam BPM
Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG)
Rajshahi Range
Bangladesh Police
Office of the DIG of Rajshahi Range
Rajshahi
BANGLADESH
Tel: +88 0721 772309 (O)
Fax: +88 0721 775444 (O)

7. Prof. Manfred Nowak
Special Rapporteur on the Question of Torture
Attn: Mr. Safir Syed
C/o OHCHR-UNOG
1211 Geneva 10
SWITZERLAND
Tel: +41 22 917 9230
Fax: +41 22 9179016 (general)
E-mail: ssyed@ohchr.org

8. 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 (ATTN: SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR EXECUTIONS)
Email: lventre@ohchr.org

Thank you.

Urgent Appeal Programme
Asian Human Rights Commission (ahrchk@ahrchk.org)

Document Type :
Urgent Appeal Case
Document ID :
UA-201-2006
Countries :
Issues :
Document Actions
Share |
Subscribe to our Mailing List
Follow AHRC
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.