The
character at right represents the
Government telling human rights organisation 'Odhikar' (on left) to lie down in a grave.
Behind that is a grave marked "Deceased: Human
rights. Died in 2009"
[Source: Amaerdesh ,21
February 2010]
In 1994, a group of human rights activists initiated discussions and
underscored the need to uphold the civil and political rights of the
people of Bangladesh along with social, cultural and economic rights.
Eventually, a decision was arrived at to form an organisation in order to
advance such rights.
Human Rights Monitoring
Report
August
2010
Amar Desh
Acting Editor Mahmudur Rahman and journalist Oliullah Noman
imprisoned for Contempt of Court;
Arrests of Trade Union
leader, NGO activists and garment workers;
Odhikar rejects the statement
of DG, RAB regarding extrajudicial killings;
Youth released by RAB after a
long detention;
Police disperse meetings and
human chains;
Attack on religious minority
communities;
Continuation of political
violence;
Police baton charge at
students of Chittagong University;
Disappearance of Mohammad
Chowdhury Alam, Ward Councilor Number-56 of Dhaka City
Corporation
Mohammad
Chowdhury Alam (66), Councilor of 56 number ward of Dhaka City
Corporation and a resident of 315/C Khilgaon, was abducted
from in front of Metro Garden on 75, Indira road on June 25,
2010. The family alleges that he was taken away in a
micro-bus, by 7/8 men who dressed in plain clothes and
identified themselves as law enforcement officers. His son,
Abu Syed Chowdhury Himu, claimed that, Mohammad Chowdhury Alam
was abducted by law enforcement officers and in response, on
the 4th of July, 2010, he filed a Habeas Corpus petition at
the High Court Division of the Supreme Court. At that time,
Judge H.M Shamshuddin Chowdhury and Judge Sheikh Md. Zakir
Hossain, sat at the division bench. The Court, without issuing
any rule on the habeas corpus, wanted to give the police a
directive. Hearing this, the concerned lawyers decided to
withdraw the writ petition. On 18th July, 2010, Abu Syed
Chowdhury Himu, again filed a petition about Mohammad
Chowdhury Alam having gone missing, at the division bench
which comprised of Justice Mamnun Rahman and Justice Syeda
Afsara Zahan. Having taken the matter into consideration, on
19th July, 2010, the court ordered the Police IGP and Police
DG to immediately investigate the matter and take effective
steps. The Court also ordered for a report to be submitted on
Mohammad Chowdhury Alam’s abductors.
Death of Motor
Mechanic Rabiul Islam Khokon, Due to Torture Inflicted while
in Custody at Chatkhil Police Station under Noakhali District
Rabiul Islam Khokon (23), a Mechanic in
Majjatpara village in Chatkhila, Noakhali, was taken into
remand on the 12th of May, 2010 at 1.00 am in the morning. His
parents Md. Shahjahan and Rawshan Akhter accused Sub-Inspector
Abdul Mannan of having tortured their son in remand. Khokon
was brought to Dhaka Medical College Hospital on the morning
of the 13th of May where he died while under medical care. The
family accused Sub-Inspector Abdul Mannan of torturing Khokon
in police custody at the station and thereby bringing about
his death. The accused, Sub-Inspector Abdul Mannan was at the
Noakhali district jail at the time of preparing this report.
Mohammad Manik allegedly died in the custody
of Kotwali police in Chittagong
On 11 May 2010 at around
7.00 a.m, Mohammad Manik (38), a night guard of Anjuman
Residential Hotel of Reazuddin Bazar, 116 Station Road, under
the Chittagong City Corporation, died in the Kotwali police
station of Chittagong, while he was in custody of the police.
The family alleged that Sub Inspector Yunus Mia arrested Manik
on 10 May 2010 and tortured him during interrogation which
caused his death. Manik, son of Ziaul Haq came from
Charparbati village of Kompanigonj police station under the
district of Noakhali
International Day
in Support of Victims of Torture
Odhikar organised a discussion meeting at the National
Press Club, Dhaka and rallies in four districts
(Satkhira, Sirajganj, Tangail and Munshiganj) on June 26
on the occasion of the International
Day in Support of
Victims of Torture.
[English]
[Bangla]
Statement
UPDATE
ON MAHMUDUR RAHMAN'S BAIL APPLICATIONS
On July 12, 2010 a Division Bench
of The High Court Division comprising of Justice Dastagir
Hossain and Justice A.K.M.Zahirul Huq granted bail to Mahmudur
Rahman, Acting Editor of the Daily Amar Desh in four cases
namely Tejgaon Police Station Case No. 2(6) 2010, Kotwali Police
Station Case No. 5(6)2010, Uttara Police Station Case No.43
dated 19.04.2010 under Section 6(1) of the Anti Terrorism Act
2009 and in the Sedation Case No. 21(6) 2010 filed at the
Airport Police Station under sections 121A, 124A and 114 of the
Penal Code.
On July 13, 2010, Mahmudur Rahman has been shown arrested in the
Anti Corruption case filed at the Gulshan Police Station on June
13, 2010. Metropolitan Magistrate Konika Biswas passed the order
in response to the prayer made by the Deputy Director of the
Anti Corruption Commission Nur Ahmed.
In the case statement, the ACC assused Mahmudur Rahman of
committing punishable offence by not submitting his wealth
statement within the stipulated period after receiving its
notice.
Today on July 14, 2010, the Chamber Judge of the Appellate
Division of the Supreme Court Justice Mozammel Hossain stayed
the bail granted at the Tejgaon Police Station Case No. 2(6)
2010 and fixed the bail granting order at Kotwali Police Station
Case No. 5(6) 2010 at the full bench of the Appellate Division
on July 18, 2010.
Odhikar demands unconditional release of Mahmudur Rahman and
withdrawal of the cancellation of the publication of the Amar
Desh.
It is to be noted that most of the custodial torture takes place
in the custody of the law enforcing agencies when they bring the
accused in their custody from the Magistrate for interrogation
under remand.
Police arrested Mahmudur Rahman from his newspaper office at the
early morning of June 2, 2010 after the government cancelled the
declaration of the newspaper on June 1, 2010 afternoon.
Concern following
the denial of extension of a human rights project led by
Odhikar
[read details]
I
nternational Day for
the Elimination of Violence against Women observed. Odhikar organised roundtable meeting and rallies.
Odhikar, in collaboration with the May
18 Memorial Foundation of South Korea, organised a roundtable
on 25 November 2009 at the VIP Lounge of the National Press
club on the occasion of the International Day for the
Elimination of Violence against Women. Odhikar also carried
out rallies in five districts to observe the day with the
slogan "We can stop violence against women".
[Read More]
International Human
Rights Day : 10 December
On 10
December 2009, Odhikar and New Age,
an English
language national daily newspaper,
jointly
organised a roundtable on “Extra-judicial Killings and the
Rule of Law”
at Spectra Convention Centre in Dhaka
on the occasion of International Human Rights Day.
[Read
More]
