STATEMENT: Enactment of Emergency Rule Has Authorized Law Enforcing Agency to Abuse Human Rights

Adv. Shahanur Islam Saikot Programme Manager-Lrgal & Human Rights 

On 11 January 2007, the army backed caretaker Government declared state of Emergency of Emergency under Article 141A (Proclamation of Emergency) 141B (Suspension of provisions of certain articles during emergencies) of Bangladesh Constitution. Under the said article during state of Emergency Article-36 (Freedom of movement) , Article-37(freedom of assembly) , Article-38 (Freedom of association) , Article-39(Freedom of thought and conscience, and of speech) , Article-40(Freedom of profession or occupation) , Article-42(Rights to property) remain suspend.

STATEMENT:Patronization of Fundamentalist Militant by The Lt. General Masud Uddin Chowdhury is Being Hailed by The Top Leaders of Those Militants

Adv. Shahanur Islam Saikot Programme Manager-Legal & Human Rights 

 On 13 August 2007, the daily Inquilab and many others daily Newspaper published exciting news item that Lt. General Masud Uddin Chwdhury the second senior most Army officer of Bangladesh Army and principal staff officer (p s o) to the Chief adviser stated that there is no fundamentalist terrorist in Bangladesh while he was speaking as a chief guest in a session of developing rule of engagement and combating terrorism held in Dhaka cantonment on 12 august 2007.

STATEMENT:The Present Army Backed Caretaker Gov’t Desiring to Institute a fabricated Case

Adv. Shahanur Islam Saikot Programme Manager-Legal & Human Rights 

 On 21 August 2004, there was massive grenade attack upon the Sheikh Hasina while she was addressing a mammoth gathering at the Bangabundhu Avenue in Dhaka. About 24 persons died on the spot and a few hundred received severe injuries. Sheikh Hasina escaped from death because she was immediately pushed in to her bullet proof Jeep by her party men. But her bulletproof jeep was seriously damager by her bullet shots and grenade splinters.

STATEMENT:Human Rights Abuses against the Former Prime Minister of Bangladesh and President of Bangladesh Awami League Sheikh Hasina

Adv. Shahanur Islam saikot Programme Manager-Legal & Human Rights 

 Sheikh Hasina, the former Prime Minister and President of Bangladesh Awami League was arrested on 16 July 2007 on a false and concocted charge of extortion of money in year of 2000. She is imprisoned in a sub jail and remaining out of contact from outside world. In such situation the anticorruption commission has asked to submit her property statement. As a president of the biggest political parties she was to open several Bank Accounts in various Banks.

STATEMENT:The Continuing Policy of Reforming Political Party by the Present Caretaker Government is Nothing but Eyewash

Adv. Shahanur Islam Saikot Programme Manager-Legal & Human Rights 

 The present caretaker government’s administration is applying double standard using the same law for opposite purposes. The people of Bangladesh asked to the present gov’t ‘How can a political party be launched when all political activities are banned under a state of emergency?” We want to say that the same law could not be used for different purposes—favoring some while suppressing others. Now we are doubt if general elections would be held within the timeline announced by the Election Commission. In previous President of Bangladesh Awami League Sheikh Hasina expressed her doubt whether the polls would be held in time.

STATEMENT:Immediate Withdrawal of Restriction on Political Activities is the Demand of the Moment to Control the Increasing Trend of Fundamentalist

Adv. Shahanur Islam Programme Manager-Legal & Human Rights A fundamentalist terrorist leader

 Mufti Mansurul Huq has been distributing a booklet Captioned “Afghan Zihad” with the call to organize Islamic militants to capture state power like Taliban of Afghanistan (See: Daily “Amader Shomoy” dated 10th July, 2007). Due to the imposition of restriction of secular political activities by the present Caretaker Govt., a political vacuum has been created. This has opened the doors to underground terrorist activities of Taliban-trained Islamic militants in Bangladesh. If the restriction of normal political activities is prolonged and election is delayed the militants will spread their domination among Madrasha students and masses of orthodox rural people. The Taleban of Afghanistan adopted the same tactics to dominate the Madrasha student and rural orthodox mass people.

STATEMENT:Interfering the Judiciary and Political Activities by the Army Backed Present Caretaker Government is against Prime Constitutional

By- Adv. Shahanur Islam Saikot Programme Manager-Legal & Human Rights 

 The object of the caretaker government as per Bangladesh constitution Article 58(C) is perform routine play to day works to assist the election commission to hold the parliamentary election and hand over power to the elected representatives within 90 days as it was strictly mentioned in 1996 and 2001 by the then caretaker government. But this time the present caretaker gov’t keeping away their constitutional binding of holding election has taken up many unusual agenda in name of irradiation of corruption over night. Mr. Mainul Hossain, advisor of Law Justice, parliamentary and information affairs said in a news conference on 09 July 2007 that no bail by the court will be allowed to the persons charged with corruption. Allowing or not allowing bail to any person is sole lawful authority of concerned court.

STATEMENT: Violation of Human Rights by Massive Detention Under special Power Act and Influence to Judiciary

By- Adv. Shahanur Islam Saikot Programme Manager-Legal & Human Rights 

 The present caretaker gov’t under Dr. Fakruddin Ahmed, the chief adviser of the caretaker government took over power on 11.01.2007 under the article of 58(C) of Bangladesh Constitution with the constitutional binding to hold parliamentary election and hand over power to the people representative within 90 days. But the gov’t is prolonging their power backed by Armed forces under Emergency Rule. This constitutional binding of holding free fair election is the prime object of the present caretaker gov’t. Previous two caretaker gov’t in 1996 and 2001 did the same. But the present caretaker gov’t in violation of constitution binding started massive arrest of political leaders, workers, businessmen and many others in the name of reform with a view to create panic so that the people of the Bangladesh can not rise their voice against unconstitutional prolonging of the power of the government.

STATEMENT: Priority of general election to uphold human rights

By-

Adv. Shahanur Islam Saikot

Programme Manager-Legal & Human Rights

Under Dr. Fakruddin Ahmed, the chief adviser of the caretaker government took over power on 11.01.2007 under the article of 58(C) of Bangladesh Constitution with the constitutional binding to hold parliamentary election and hand over power to the people representative within 90 days. But the gov’t is prolonging their power backed by Armed forces under Emergency Rule. The government has restricted the movement of political leaders and workers to Sheikh Hasina, President of Bangladesh Awami league and Begum Khaleda Zia, Chairperson of Bangladesh nationalist Party (BNP) both are former Prime Minister of Bangladesh. The false cases have been instituted against Sheikh Hasina. In the name of reform of those two most popular political parties an attempt is on process under the shelter of the present government oust those two most popular leaders; both are ex prime minister of Bangladesh from future of politics of Bangladesh like Bengir Bhutta and Nawaz Sharif of Pakistan. Such attempt to depoliticalization of most popular political leaders will result in disintegration of those two major political parties which will create a serious political vacuum. Under such situation the fundamentalist terrorist will get opportunity to dominate the politics of Bangladesh and in the near future they will have the strength to take over power like Taleban of Afganistan. Such comment has been expressed in recent issue of Wall Street Journal. Here mentioned that some fundamentalist parties as jamatul Mujahedin, Jadid al Quaeda, Hijbut taohid, Tarika Federation are still continuing their activities across the country.

STATEMENT: RESTRICTION ON THE MOVEMENT AND POLITICAL ACTIVITIES HAS BEEN IMPOSED UPON SHEIKH HASINA

By- Adv. Shahanur Islam Saikot 

Programme Manager-Legal &amp Human Rights

RESTRICTION ON THE MOVEMENT AND POLITICAL ACTIVITIES HAS BEEN IMPOSED UPON SHEIKH HASINA, FORMER PRIME MINISTER OF BANGLADESH AND PRESIDENT OF BANGLADESH AWAMI LEAGUE BY ARMY BACKED CARE TAKER GOV’T. 

The present caretaker government backed by Army took power on 11 january 2007 as per Article 58(C0 of the Bangladesh constitution with the commitment to hold parliamentary election and hand over power within 90 days to the people representative as it is the constitutional binding as per above article. So the legal tenure was limited up to 30 th June of 2007. Sheikh Hasina put her demand to hold the election timely offer preparation of up to date voter list as per the high court verdict. The government with design to prolong its power did not pay any head to the legal demand of Sheikh Hasia and started to the following measures to shut her voice. 1. Imposition of restriction on indoor politics 2. Ripen the false case instituted against her by the last BNP- Jamat joint Government, which have been stayed by the high court as those were found false by the court. 3. Implicated her name in a murder case which was committed on 26 December 2006 in course of two rival political parties face to face procession.

URGENT APPEAL:(Update)Ensure the immediate release and proper treatment of the General Secretary of Bangladesh Awami League

BANGLADESH: ENSURE THE IMMEDIATE RELEASE AND PROPER TREATMENT OF GENERAL SECRETARY OF BANGLADESH AWAMI LEAGUE BANGLADESH INSTITUTE OF 

HUAMAN RIGHTS URGENT APPEAL PROGRAMME URGENT APPEAL CASE: (Update) BIHR UA-2007-05-31 DATE: May 31, 2007 ISSUE: Arbitrary arrest and detention; abuse of preventive detention under the state of emergency ================================== 

  URGENT APPEAL BANGLADESH: Ensure the immediate release and proper treatment of the General Secretary of Bangladesh Awami League. ================================== 

  Dear Friends, Bangladesh Institute of Human Rights (BIHR) has received updated information of alleged arbitrary arrest and detention under the Special Power Act (SPA), 1974 from Bangladesh. We were informed that Mr. Abdul Jalil, General Secretary of the Bangladesh Awami League party as well as the Former Minister of Trade Affairs, was arbitrarily arrested on 28 May 2007. The victim is currently being detained in preventive detention under section 3(1) of SPA. The BIHR is deeply concerned that political activist is being subjected to arbitrary arrest and detention by the caretaker government after the state of emergency was declared in January 2007. 

URGENT APPEAL:Ensure the immediate release and proper treatment of the General Secretary of Bangladesh Awami League.

BANGLADESH: ENSURE THE IMMEDIATE RELEASE AND PROPER TREATMENT OF GENERAL SECRETARY OF BANGLADESH AWAMI LEAGUE 

 

BANGLADESH INSTITUTE OF HUAMAN RIGHTS URGENT APPEAL PROGRAMME 

 

URGENT APPEAL CASE: BIHR UA-2007-05-29 

 

DATE: May 29, 2007 

 

ISSUE: Arbitrary arrest and detention; abuse of preventive detention under the state of emergency ==================================

URGENT APPEAL BANGLADESH: Ensure the immediate release and proper treatment of the General Secretary of Bangladesh Awami League. 

================================== 

Dear Friends, Bangladesh Institute of Human Rights (BIHR) has received information of alleged arbitrary arrest and detention under the Special Power Act (SPA), 1974 in Bangladesh. We were informed that Mr. Abdul Jalil, General Secretary of the Bangladesh Awami League party as well as the Former Minister of Trade Affairs, was arbitrarily arrested on 28 May 2007. The BIHR is deeply concerned that political activist is being subjected to arbitrary arrest and detention by the present caretaker government after the state of emergency was declared in January 2007. 

URGENT APPEAL: (Update) Ensure the immediate release and proper treatment of the General Secretary of Bangladesh Awami League

BANGLADESH INSTITUTE OF HUAMAN RIGHTS URGENT APPEAL PROGRAMME 

URGENT APPEAL CASE: (Update) BIHR UA-2007-06-03 

DATE: June 03, 2007 

ISSUE: Arbitrary arrest and detention; abuse of preventive detention under the state of emergency ================================== 

URGENT APPEAL BANGLADESH: Ensure the immediate release and proper treatment of the General Secretary of Bangladesh Awami League. 

================================== 

Dear Friends, 

Bangladesh Institute of Human Rights (BIHR) has received updated information of alleged arbitrary arrest and detention under the Special Power Act (SPA), 1974 from Bangladesh. We were informed that Mr. Abdul Jalil, General Secretary of the Bangladesh Awami League party as well as the Former Minister of Trade Affairs, was arbitrarily arrested on 28 May 2007. The victim is currently being detained in preventive detention under section 3(1) of SPA. The BIHR is deeply concerned that political activist is being subjected to arbitrary arrest and detention by the caretaker government after the state of emergency was declared in January 2007.

SPECIAL REPORT: Grenade Attacks on Bangladesh Awami League's Peaceful Assembly 2004

1. Introduction: 

With the evolution of human civilization, the world is committed to upholding democracy, human rights, and the rule of law. The people of Bangladesh are firmly determined to establish a democratic nation, free from violations of human rights, exploitation, poverty, oppression, and ethnic and religious discrimination, by upholding the rule of law. However, an evil force has been attempting to disrupt the continuity of democratic practice. In pursuit of their objective, they consider Sheikh Hasina—a popular leader, President of the Awami League, Leader of the Opposition, daughter of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, and former Prime Minister of Bangladesh—a committed political personality for democracy, human rights, secularism, and the rule of law, along with all senior party leaders and workers, as their prime enemies. On many occasions, they have attempted to kill Sheikh Hasina and other senior party leaders. The massive grenade attack on August 21, 2004, targeting the life of Sheikh Hasina and committing acts of genocide, was part of the same sequence of that evil design to annihilate democratic leadership.