November: a grisly month of human rights abuses

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Friday, 02 December 2011

Author / Source : STAFF REPORTER

Dhaka, Dec 1: A report documenting human rights abuses throughout the month of November has been published by human rights organisation Odhikar. Political violence resulted in 15 deaths and injured another 759 people.
According to Odhikar’s report, “Evidence suggests that tension and violence between the two major political parties and internal conflicts within the parties are the primary source of political violence.”  The violence occurred “despite [political parties] rhetoric of tolerance and democracy.” The most high profile murder was that of Lokman Hossain, the Mayor of Narshingdi municipality, who was shot dead by a gang on 1 November.
In contravention of Article 28 of the constitution, 11 meetings and assemblies were obstructed by imposing section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure.
“Complaints have been received that most of these incidents have been initiated by the ruling party Awami League,” states the report.
Odhikar and environmentalists are concerned that constructing the Tipaimukh Dam and a hydro-electric power station could cause severe damage to Assam and Bangladesh if an earthquake occurred.
Furthermore, “a large area of the mountainous terrain will drown under water” if the project goes ahead.
Thus Odhikar urges the Bangladesh government to take immediate diplomatic action to prevent India from constructing both projects.
According to Odhikar’s statistics, three Bangladeshi citizens were allegedly killed, five injured and two abducted by the BSF.
On November 18, 23-year-old Shariful Islam was shot dead near Border Pillar 179 while ploughing his field.
Seven people lost their lives in extra-judicial killings – two of which were allegedly tortured to death by police.
Eight people died in Bangladeshi jails, with authorities citing ‘illness’ as the cause of death.
Odhikar believes that shortcomings in the criminal justice system contributed to the deaths of 20 people by public lynching.
Attacks on press freedom continued in November, with 14 journalists injured, three threatened and 10 attacked.
The press release states, “Those involved in attacks on journalists and in attempts to suppress free media must be identified, arrested and convicted through trials.”