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BANGLADESH: Woman tortured by the Police in the office of the Superintendent of Police in Satkhira district

July 3, 2006

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ASIAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION - URGENT APPEALS PROGRAMME

4 July 2006
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UA-214-2006: BANGLADESH: Woman tortured by the Police in the office of the Superintendent of Police in Satkhira district

BANGLADESH: Torture; violence against women; misuse of power; collapse of rule of law
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Dear friends,

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that a woman named Mrs. Rasheda Khatun, the Family Planning Inspector (FPI) of the health and family planning department in Satkhira District, was tortured by the Sub Inspector of Police (SI) in the office room of the Superintendent of Police (SP) in Satkhira District, Bangladesh on June 8 2006. A medical doctor of the Satkhira Sadar Hospital refused to admit Mrs. Rasheda to the hospital despite the fact that she was considerably injured due to the torture. Also, the local authorities have not yet taken any action regarding this case.

On June 8 2006, the Family Planning Inspector of the health and family planning department in Satkhira District, Mrs. Rashida Khatun (48), went to the office of the Superintendent of Police (SP) of Satkhira District to ask about a transfer related to a petition lodged by her cousin, Mr. Abdul Matin, who is the Police Inspector and the former Officer-in-Charge (OIC) of the Ashashuni Police Station. Inspector Abdul Matin asked Rashida to check the information regarding the order of his transfer. When Rashida went to the room of the SP, a Probationary Sub Inspector (PSI) of the district, Ms. Sonia, removed her waist belt and began to beat Rashida with it. PSI Sonia also beat Rashida with a stick and her fists. Due to the indiscriminate beating, Rashida was injured on her head, back, hands, abdomen, face and other parts of the body. She was also injured on her left eye. A shopkeeper from the Kazi Store situated in front of the SP's office, Mr. Kazi Zahurul Mahmood, rescued Rashida from the brutality of PSI Sonia upon hearing the victim's cries. Rashida was bleeding from her head at that time.  The reason for torture remains unknown.

The OIC of the Satkhira Sadar Police Station then took Rashida to the Sadar Hospital along with the Deputy Director of the Family Planning Centre of the district and PSI Sonia. Rashida was handcuffed when she was taken to the hospital by a police van. She received some medical treatment but the police did not allow Rashida to be hospitalized despite her request. They asked the hospital authority not to keep her in the hospital. The Resident Medical Officer (RMO) of the Satkhira Sadar Hospital, Dr. Md. Ishak Ali, also refused to admit Rashida to the hospital.

After that, PSI Sonia took away the official medical record that described Rashida's injuries during her treatment. She also forced Rashida's daughter, Ms. Jannatul Ferdousi to give signature on a blank piece of paper. The police then kept Rashida handcuffed in the police van after she received some basic medical treatment. After about an hour, the police van stopped on the street and they handed over Rashida to her relatives.

As soon as she was released from police custody, Rashida went to the Sadar Hospital again to get admission. However Dr. Md. Ishak again refused to admit Rashida to the hospital. Rashida then got admitted herself to the Farzana Clinic and Heart Centre where she was treated for two days. She received treatment from an eye specialist namely Dr. A S M Abdur Rahman and a dentist namely Dr. Habibullah Bahar.

On June 26, Rashida lodged a complaint (Case no.: CRP-732/06) against PSI Sonia with the Satkhira Magistrate's Cognizance Court in Kha area under sections 323/342/324/307/506/427 of the Penal Code with the allegation of torture and attempted murder. The Magistrate Ibrahim Khan then ordered a judicial probe commission headed by Second Class Magistrate Abu Jafor to investigate the case. The court also asked the judicial probe commission to submit its report by July 27.

Meanwhile, Mrs. Rashida claims that she has been receiving constant threats from the police authority to make her withdraw the case. The police is now threatening Rashida through the Deputy Director of Family Planning Centre of the district, Mr. Shahjaha Hawladar, that if Rashida does not withdraw her case, the police then will file charge sheet of a previous case against one of Rasheda's colleagues, who took bribe from a person and caught red handed by a local magistrate. A complaint was also lodged with the Ashashuni Police Station in this connection. Due to this, the victim has been also pressurized from her colleagues, who threaten her that she would face troubles if she causes a trouble for them, to withdraw her case. Because of these threats, she feels her security is insecure. As far as we were informed, the police have not yet taken any disciplinary action against PSI Sonia who has not been arrested and remains in service.

 
SUGGESTED ACTION:
Please write to the persons listed below and urge them to conduct a fair and impartial investigation into this case so that the perpetrator can be punished by law. Please also urge them to investigate the alleged threats on the victim. Please also urge the Government of Bangladesh to provide adequate compensation and effective witness protection to the victim. 

Suggested letter:

Dear __________,

BANGLADESH: Woman tortured by the Police in the office of the Superintendent of Police in Satkhira district

Name of victim: Mrs. Rashida Khatun, aged 48, the Family Planning Inspector of the health and family planning department in Satkhira District, residing in Burakharati village, under the Ashasuni Police Station in Satkhira District
Names of the alleged perpetrators:
1. Ms. Sonia, the Probationary Sub Inspector of Police attached to the office of the Superintendent of Police (SP) of Satkhiral District
2. Dr. Md. Ishak Ali, Resident Medical Officer of the Satkhira Sadar Hospital
3. Mr. Fazlur Rahman, Superintendent of Police, Satkhira district
Place of incident: The office room of the SP in Satkhira District
Date of incident: June 8 2006

I am deeply concerned by the alleged torture of a woman by a police officer at the office of the Superintendent of Police (SP) in Satkhira District, Bangladesh on June 8 2006.

According to the information I have received, on that day the Family Planning Inspector of the health and family planning department of Satkhira District, Mrs. Rashida Khatun, was severely tortured by a Probationary Sub Inspector (PSI) of Police of the district, Ms. Sonia, when she went to the SP's office to learn about a transfer of her cousin, who is a policeman. The victim was indiscriminately assaulted by PSI Sonia with her waist belt, a stick and fists. Due to torture, Rashida was considerably injured on all over her body, including her left eye. She also bled from her head.  She was rescued from inhuman torture only when a shopkeeper nearby the SP's office came to intervene.

I am also shocked to learn that despite the victim's serious injuries, the police did not allow the victim to get admission to the Satkhira Sadar Hospital where she only received inadequate treatment. The Resident Medical Officer (RMO) at the hospital Dr. Md. Ishak Ali also collaborated with the police and refused to admit Rashida to the hospital.

I was further informed that PSI Sonia took an official medical record of the victim from the hospital to destroy the evidence of torture and forced the victim's daughter to give signature on a blank piece of paper. Rashida was handcuffed in the police van about one hour before being released. After being released, Rashida was hospitalized at the Farzana Clinic and Heart Centre for two days.

On June 26, Rashida lodged a compliant (Case no.: CRP-732/06) against PSI Sonia with the Satkhira Magistrate's Cognizance Court in Kha area with the allegation of torture and attempted murder. Subsequently, the Magistrate Ibrahim Khan ordered a judicial probe commission headed by Second Class Magistrate Abu Jafor to investigate the case and asked the commission to submit its report to the court by July 27. Meanwhile, the police department has not taken any disciplinary action against PSI Sonia. As a result, she still works as a police officer. I was also informed that Mrs. Rashida has been receiving repeated threats from the police authority to force her to withdraw the case in the court. Due to the threats, the victim fears for her security. 

In light of the above, I strongly urge you to order an impartial and speedy investigation into the alleged torture of Rashida so that the perpetrator can be punished by law. I also urge you to ensure that disciplinary/criminal action be taken against Dr. Md. Ishak Ali who refused to admit the victim to the hospital. I further urge you to investigate the alleged threats to the victim, find out those responsible and take strong action against them. PSI Sonia should be temporarily suspended from her service for the security of the victim. I also urge you to ensure that the victim receives effective witness protection while the investigation is going on and is adequately compensated. 

I look forward your urgent intervention into this matter. 

Yours sincerely,
 


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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

2. Mr. Md. Lutfozzaman Babor MP
State Minister
The Ministry of Home Affairs
The Government of the People's 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
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. Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG)
Khulna Range
Bangladesh Police
Office of the DIG of Khulna Range
Khulna
BANGLADESH
Tel: +88 041 624100 (O)
Fax: +88 041 721358 (O)

7. District Magistrate
Office of the District Magistrate &
The Deputy Commissioner
Satkhira
BANGLADESH
Tel: +88 0471 63201 (O)/+88 0471 63202 (R)
Fax: +88 0471 63900 (O) 

8. 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 22 917 9016 (general)
E-mail: ssyed@ohchr.org

9. Ms. Yakin Erturk
Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women
c/o Ms Vernonica Birga
Room 3-042
c/o OHCHR-UNOG
1211 Geneva 10
SWITZERLAND
Tel: +41 22 917 9615
Fax: +41 22 917 9006 (ATTN: SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN)
Email: vbirga@ohchr.org / urgent-action@ohchr.org

 
Thank you.

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

Document Type :
Urgent Appeal Case
Document ID :
UA-214-2006
Countries :
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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.