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BNP-JAMAAT GOVERNMENT’S
CONTINUED REPRESSIION
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Human rights violation and political repression in Bangladesh have become daily phenomena. The level of political repression grew increasingly violent since the army-led joint forces began so-called “Operation Clean Heart’ on 16 October 2002 in the name of recovering illegal arms and combating terrorism, ordered by BNP-Jamaat led coalition government. The main opposition party Awami League’s (AL) eminent national leaders, other leader and activists were arrested in the anti-terrorist clampdown across the country. They have reported to be tortured and treated inhumanly in army/police custody. In fact the situation became so severe and extreme that hauled up political figures with bail or release order from High Court (HC) were redirected immediately to custody with an arrest warrant shown against them in vague cases. Tofail Ahmed, AL Presidium member and former minister for industry; Talukder Abdul Khalek MP, member of executive committee and former minister; Mustofa Rashidi Suja, former whip and Khulna district AL secretary; Principal Motiur Rahman, Mymensingh district AL President and former MP, Sohorab Hossain, the joint secretary of Narail district AL; Jalal Uddin Talukder, former MP of Netrakona district; Abdul Latif Mirza, General Secretary of Serajganj district AL and former MP were not given due attention in jail as the first class political prisoners as per jail code. Even they have been compelled to live in jail with two blankets in chilling winter with lower standard foods. Bahauddin Nasim, the Joint Convener of Awami Sechasebok League and Assistant Secretary to the recently elected sub-committee of Executive committee, who got released recently at HC order, was arrested nearly ten months back and kept in condemned cell without any division. He underwent unbearable mental and physical torture. The jailed leaders and intellectuals were frequently transferred from the jail to another in risky way during the midnight. They have not been allowed to meet their family members, not given any access to meet their lawyers. Due to the barbaric torture in army custody Mustofa Rashidi Suja had both of his leg torpid and he couldn’t walk. Suja, already a diabetic patient, got small pox in the jail. AL leader and academician Principal Motiure Rahman, a patient of heart disease at the 70s was arrested without any specific charge, while he was serving medical rehabilitation support to wounded persons and relatives of those died of a series of bomb blasts in cinema halls in Mymensingh town, two days after the explosions. Despite the HC order for his release, he has been kept in jail again without any specific allegation. Jalaluddin Talukder, former Member of Parliament, elected for three times, had lost both of his feet by a grenade attack by some miscreants during the regime of Gen. Zia, cannot walk or move without other’s help. He is a diabetic patient and has other ailments as well. Nonetheless he was accused to have involvement in Mymensingh Cinema Hall Blasts and thus charge-sheeted in explosion litigation. He has been subject to inhuman treatment in jail. All the above mentioned leaders in prisons are at their 50s or 60s. Many of them got seriously ill in jail’s unhygienic conditions, being deprived of a minimum and legitimate treatment facility. As a matter of great disgrace, the government is not taking any step to provide them with proper treatment, rather gratifying political revenge through continuing heartless and cruel behaviour. Recently released AL leaders including Saber Hossain Chowdhury, Political Secretary to the Opposition leader Sheikh Hasina and one of the party’s Organizing Secretaries elected (while he was in jail) at the triennial National Council; Mukul Bose, central leader; Bahauddin Nasim, Shafi Ahmed and eminent intellectuals, writer and columnist Prof. Muntasir Mamun, Journalist Shahriar Kabir everyone of them testified how badly they were tortured mentally and physically in remand and custody. Newspapers made a well coverage of their custodial experience. On the other hand, the violation of human rights carried by the government in such a manner that death in custody took place more often than ever before. Condemnation and protest from all the political parties, the civil society and even the international community were being defied. 50 people died in custody till 9th January, 2003. Disgraceful incidents of undermining press freedom with repression on journalists in Bangladesh never seemed so acute except during military regime in the past. Two foreign journalists of British Channel IV television Jaiba N Malik and Bruno Sorentino were arrested on accusation of spying. But under immense international pressure they have been released. Bangladeshi journalist Salim Samad who assisted the said TV journalists is still in jail has falsely been charged with anti-state activity. An NGO activist, Precilla Raj, who worked as an interpreter with those foreign journalists disclosed to the press following her release with a HC bail that police tortured her mentally and physically with electric shock and by other inhumane methods. Even she had been under heavy pressure to become an “approver” while in custody. Human rights scenario depicting such incidents of political repression with attempt to silence the voice of press looks not only alarming but such practice also endangering democratic system and constitutional civil governance. All the democratic forces with civil society and common people are raising their voice in demand of an immediate end to such human rights violation and political repression. Nevertheless, the ‘autocratic’ coalition in power pays no attention to the demands of immediate release of all political leaders, activists and eminent figures, neither the ruling authority seems positive to provide political prisoners with the legitimate facilities. All these bring about severe damage to the image of the country, its dignity in international arena.
VOL. 1 NO. 1 January 13, 2003 |