FACT FINDING REPORT: A Prominent Human Rights Defender in Bangladesh Has Been Intimidated by DGFI Field Officer.

Date: April 16, 2009 

 Fact Finding Case: BIHR-HRD-03-09

Bangladesh Institute of Human Rights has been conducted a fact finding mission by its high level team from April 13 to 15, 2009 regarding to intimidation of Mr. Shahanur Islam Secretary General and Executive Director of the Bangladesh Centre for Human Rights and Development (BCHRD), Coordinator of Centre for Human Rights Fact Finding & Research (CHFR), Programme Manager of Legal and Human Rights Affairs at the Bangladesh Institute of Human Rights (BIHR) and Bangladesh Rehabilitation Centre for Trauma Victims (BRCT), as well as a member of the Bangladesh Bar Council and Bar Association in Dhaka District by the Filed Officer of (Sub Inspector Level Official) of Directorate General Forces of Intelligence (DGFI), while he was waiting for speaking with Media men after filing a petition case on charging attempt to murder by torturing with the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court (CMM) Dhaka against three men including a Major of Army. According to the information received, there was no action taken by the police authorities. 

NEWS: A Businessman in Dhaka Sues against Joint Forces Man with the Legal Help of Bangladesh Institute of Human Rights (BIHR)

A businessman, who was brutally tortured by the joint forces during the period of caretaker government, filed a case against Mejor Sarwar, who was under duty of 17, East Bengle Regiment, Dhaka and other two civilians his cousin Saiful Islam and the latter’s associate Abdus Samad, on charge of attempt to murder by torturing him during the emergency regime with the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court, Dhaka under section 323, 324, 325, 326, 307, 506, 109 and 34 on April 13, 2009 with the legal help the human rights organization “Bangladesh Institute of Human Rights (BIHR)”. Md. Samsuddin Ahmed, proprietor of M/S Samsuddin Overseas in his complaint stated that, on July 26 2007, around at 1.30 p.m. a team comprising six members of army led by Maj. Sarwar who was on plain clothes along with Abdus samad and Saiful went to his office, 64/4, Naya Paltan, Dhaka and beat him mercilessly while he was doing his regular business job. Then, he was picked up and took him to the temporary camp of joint forces at Paltan Community Centre and again he was brutally tortured there by kicking with boot, slapping, beating with iron road, baton without any reason.

"Death threats against Mr. Shahanur Islam Saikot

23.03.2009 - Source:World Organisation Against Torture "Death threats against Mr. Shahanur Islam Saikot [BGD 001 / 0309 / OBS 051]" Human rights activist Shahanur Islam Saikot receives death threats [ID 117294] Document(s): Open document

NEWS: Torture During Emergency: Army officer, 2 others sued

The Daily Star: Tuesday, April 14, 2009 

Torture During Emergency: Army officer, 2 others sued 

Court Correspondent 

 An attempted murder case was filed yesterday against an army major and two others with the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's (CMM) Court of Dhaka. Mohammad Shamsuddin Ahmed, proprietor of M/S Shahmsuddin Overseas, filed the case against the three on charges of attempting to murder him in their custody during the state of emergency in 2007. This is the first time a case has been filed against an army officer for torturing in custody. After the hearing, Metropolitan Magistrate Kanika Biswas recorded the statement of complainant, took it into cognisance and did not pass any order on the issue. The accused in the case are Major Sarwar and two civilians Abdus Samad and Md Saiful Islam. In his complaint, Shamsuddin mentioned that Maj Sarwar, Samad and Saiful picked him up from his Nayapaltan office on July 26 in 2007 and took him to the temporary army camp at Paltan Community Centre where they tortured him mercilessly without any reason. The plaintiff alleged that he lost his sense after the torture and was shifted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) for treatment as his condition was deteriorating. Later, he was shown arrested in a criminal case filed with Paltan Police Station on July 26, 2007 even though his name was not in the first information report (FIR). He was released on bail on August 6, 2007. Moreover, the investigation officer submitted a final report saying that the charges brought against him (plaintiff) were not proved, complainant said. Adv. Shahanur Islam Saikot, Programme manager of Legal & Human Rights affairs at Bangladesh Institute of Human Rights moved the case on behalf of the complainant.

NEWS:Businessman sues army major for torture during emergency

The Daily Janakontha, Date: April 14, 2009

NEWS:Businessman sues army major for torture during emergency

The Daily Karatoa, Date: April 14, 2009

NEWS:Businessman sues army major for torture during emergency

Amader Shomoy, Date: April 14, 2009

NEWS: Businessman sues joint forces men over 'torture'

Businessman sues joint forces men over 'torture' 

The Independent, Date: April 14, 2009

 A businessman, who said he was tortured by the joint forces during the caretaker government's rule, filed a case yesterday against Major Sarwar and two others. Md Shamsuddin Ahmed filed the case with the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court at around 10:30am. According to case details, on July 26, 2007 Maj Sarwar along with six to seven other members of the joint forces in plainclothes went to Shamsuddin's Naya Paltan office and beat him up. He said they took him to a joint force's makeshift camp at Paltan Community Centre and further tortured him there. Shamsuddin was first admitted to Rajarbagh Police Line Hospital. As his condition worsened he was later taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital. The case was not filed that time due to the state of emergency, Shamsuddin said. Human-rights organisation Bangladesh Institute of Human Rights's lawyer Shahnur Islam Saikot assisted the plaintiff in filing the case.

NEWS: Businessman sues joint forces men over 'torture'

Businessman sues joint forces men over 'torture'

bdnews24.com: Mon, Apr 13th, 2009 1:10 pm BdST

Dhaka, Apr 13 (bdnews24.com) – A businessman, who said he was tortured by the joint forces during the caretaker government's rule, filed a case Monday against Major Sarwar and two others.

Md Shamsuddin Ahmed filed the case with the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court at around 10:30am.

According to case details, on July 26, 2007 Maj Sarwar along with six to seven other members of the joint forces in plainclothes went to Shamsuddin's Naya Paltan office and beat him.

NEWS:Businessman sues army major for torture during emergency

Businessman sues army major for torture during emergency

New Age; Date: April 15, 2009

Staff Correspondent A manpower trader on Monday sued major Sarwar, an army officer, his cousin Saiful Islam and the latter’s associate Abdus Samad, on charge of torturing him during the emergency regime. The businessman, Shamsuddin Ahmed, filed the case with Dhaka chief metropolitan magistrate’s court. Shamsuddin in his complaint stated that a team of joint forces in plainclothes and led by major Sarwar, along with Saiful and Samad, had raided his Naya Paltan office on July 26, 2007 and beaten him up mercilessly. They took him to a makeshift camp of the joint forces at the Paltan Community Centre and tortured him again there. ‘As I fainted because of the torture, I was first admitted to the Rajarbagh Police Line Hospital and shifted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital when my condition deteriorated,’ Shamsuddin told the magistrate. The joint forces later handed Shamsuddin over to the Paltan Police to show him arrested in a fraud case filed with the police station by Saiful on July 26, 2007. Shamsuddin was released on bail on August 6, 2007. On February 2, 2008, Shamsuddin was acquitted by metropolitan magistrate Golam Rabbani of the fraud charges after investigation officer Ikramul Haque, sub-inspector of the Paltan police station, had submitted the final report in the case, Shamsuddin said. Explaining the delay in filing the case, Shamsuddin told the court, ‘I could not file the case against the army officer when a state of emergency was in force fearing more torture.’

Human Rights lawyer Shahnur Islam Saikot, on behalf of the Bangladesh Institute of Human Rights (BIHR), appeared for Shamsuddin.

CASE STUDY:Police Brutality on Mr. Abu Abbas Bhuiyan

Adv. Shahanur Islam Saikot* 

Introduction: Abu Abbas Bhuiyan, student of Dhaka university and also Secretary of Mass Education affairs in Central Committe of Bangladesh student league was victimized in torture by the police official directing by the ruling party (then state minister for home affairs) due to his activities as a central leader of Bangladesh Student League as well as implicated false and fabricate cases. Discharging from the allegation that was bring up against him as well as got cure, he was filed case against the policeme /Perpetrators in Chief Metropalitan Magistrate Court, Dhaka that No. P- 1185 of 2008 on 05 March 2008 under section of 323/324/325/326/306506/109/34 of the Penal Code with the assistance of Bangladesh Institute of Human Rights (BIHR). 

URGENT APPEAL: Doodsbedreigingen aan dhr. Shahanur Islam Saikot

1 april 2009

Doodsbedreigingen aan dhr. Shahanur Islam Saikot

Urgente Acties ACAT NETHERLANDS

Action of Christians for the Abolition of Torture and Capital Punishment.

Mr. Sheikh Hasina

Prime Minister

Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh

Office of the Prime Minister

Tejgaon

DHAKA

BANGLADESH

… - 04 – 09. Dear Prime Minister,

As a member of ACAT Netherlands I am very concerned about threats received by Mr. Shahanur Islam Saikot, Secretary General and Executive Director of the Bangladesh Centre for Human Rights and Development (BCHRD), Programme Manager of Legal and Human Rights Affairs at the Bangladesh Institute of Human Rights (BIHR) and Bangladesh Rehabilitation Centre for Trauma Victims (BRCT), as well as a member of the Bangladesh Bar Council and Bar Association in Dhaka District.

I urgently ask you:

URGENT APPEAL: Seeking Information under Section 6 of the Right to Information Act.

Court Fee Stamp Rs. 10/- To 30 March 2009 The Public Information Officer High Court at Calcutta Kolkata Attn. The Registrar, Calcutta High Court Ref.:-Seeking Information under Section 6 of the Right to Information Act. Respectable Sir, We have gathered information that number prisoners including foreign nationals booked under the Foreigners Act have been perishing in different jails/ correctional homes in West Bengal for years. We came to know that many of them either had been acquitted by the concerned trial court or spent their period of conviction but still they are under detention. Those persons are under detention in custody illegally as Jan Khalas and there is no bona fide approach from any corner towards the release and/or repatriation of those persons till date. A detention becomes unlawful where there is no law to justify it but also where procedure prescribed by law which authorizes the detention has not been followed.

URGENT APPEAL - THE OBSERVATORY:for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders

THE OBSERVATORY: for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders

URGENT APPEAL - THE OBSERVATORY BGD 001 / 0309 / OBS 051 

Death threats Bangladesh March 23, 2009 

The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the World Organization against Torture (OMCT) and the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), requests your urgent intervention in the following situation in Bangladesh. 

Description of the situation: The Observatory has been informed by reliable sources, including ODHIKAR, of threats received by Mr. Shahanur Islam Saikot, Secretary General and Executive Director of the Bangladesh Centre for Human Rights and Development (BCHRD), Programme Manager of Legal and Human Rights Affairs at the Bangladesh Institute of Human Rights (BIHR) and Bangladesh Rehabilitation Centre for Trauma Victims (BRCT), as well as a member of the Bangladesh Bar Council and Bar Association in Dhaka District.

URGENT APPEAL: Immediately Ensure the Security of Human Rights Defender; Investigate Cases of Intimidations and Bring the Culprits before the justice.

BANGLADESH INSTITUTE OF HUMAN RIGHTS: URGENT APPEAL PROGRAMME 

URGENT APPEAL CASE: BIHR-IUA-02-03-2009 

DATE: March 22, 2009 ====================================== 

BANGLADESH: Immediately Ensure the Security of Human Rights Defender; Investigate Cases of Intimidations and Bring the Culprits before the justice. ======================================= 

Dear Friends, Bangladesh Institute of Human Rights has been received a fact-finding report conducted by the high level fact-finding team of BIHR regarding to a prominent human rights defender and lawyer in Bangladesh once again received his life threats. He filed General Diary (G.D.) to the concerned police station but no appropriate action has been taken yet even no investigation has been conducted. BIHR urges your immediate intervention to immediately ensure his security as well as investigate this alleged incident credibly and bring the alleged culprits before the justice in accordance with the law. 

FACT FINDING REPORT: A Prominent Human Rights Defender in Bangladesh Once Again Received His Life Threat

Date: March 19, 2009

Fact Finding Case: BIHR-HRD-02-09

Bangladesh Institute of Human Rights (BIHR) has received a fact finding report conducted by a fact-finding team of BIHR from March 18 to 19, 2009 regarding serious threats to Mr. Shahanur Islam Saikot Mr. Shahanur Islam Saikot, Programme Manager of Legal and Human Rights Affairs at the Bangladesh Institute of Human Rights (BIHR) and Bangladesh Rehabilitation Centre for Trauma Victims (BRCT) as well as Member of Bangladesh Bar Council and Dhaka Bar Association by cell phone. According to the information received, there was no action taken by the police authorities.