Advocate Shahanur Islam, founding secretary general of JusticeMakers Bangladesh and also member of Bangladesh Bar Council and Dhaka Bar Association has tried to been arrest after physically harassment at Mohammadpur police station under Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) by the then duty officer and sub inspector Mr. Yusuf on April 03, 2012 while Mr. Islam went to the said police station for registering a general diary (GD) regarding threats received by him to withdraw the case filed with the learned judicial magistrate court in Naogaon district against nine prison and police officials alleging to take bribe and death due to negligence after torture at police custody.

On April 03, 2012 around at 7.30 pm Mr. Islam along advocate Mohammd Alamgir, founding vice chairman of JusticeMakers Bangladesh and also member of Bangladesh Bar Council and Dhaka Bar Association went to the said police station to file a general diary regarding the said matter. Then, Mr. Islam submited a written statement to the duty officer Mr. Yusuf for register a general diary describing about his current threats. But the duty office threw the paper opposite side of his table mentioning he would not register any general diary regarding taking bribe, torture and death due to negligence. Then, Mr. Islam requested him to again read the whole statement carefully. At this stage Mr. Yusuf calling to Mr. Islam “beyadop” became angry as fire again rejecting to register the general diary. Then Mr. Islam asked him to give written statement for rejection to register the GD. Suddenly Mr. Yusub being violent jumped one side of his table from his chair and grabbed the color of the shirt of Mr. Islam and tried to put him in too the lock up of the said police station. In this time Advocate Mohammad Alamgir managed the duty officer not not put Mr. Islam in to the lock up humbly requesting him. Then the duty officer register the general diary being Mohammadpur police station GD number 261 dated 03.04.12 and assigned to Sub inspector Afjal Hossain to investigate the incident of general diary.

Later, Officer in Charge (OC) of Mohammadpur police station confessed about the involvement of such heinous incident by the duty officer and apologized on behalf of the alleged police officer in presence of Mohd Jahangir Alam, adviser of JusticeMakers Bangladesh and also chief of crime division, united news of Bangladesh (UNB).

JusticeMakers Bangladesh deeply concerned over physical harassment of Mr. Islam by the police official of Mohammadpur police station and demanded prompt action against the alleged perpetrators after a judicial enquiry as well as ensures the adequate physical integrity of Mr. Shahanur Islam and JusticeMakers team.

Kollpona, 36 years old woman mother of a ten year’s old daughter who had been arrested in July 2009 by the Paltan police station under Dhaka Metropolitan police from house of her master alleging to steal two gold bangles along with some cash money. Though the police was not able to recover any stolen goods, she was put to the jail custody. Then, around two and half years passed, she was in jail custody without trial being unable to appoint a lawyer.

JusticeMakers Bangladesh came to know about the incident in this year and took initiative to release her from the jail custody. On February, 2011, Advocate Shahanur Islam, founding secretary general of JusticeMakers Bangladesh took up Mrs. Kolpona’s defence and conducted interview with her at Dhaka prison centre.

Then, on April 03, 2012, Advocate Shahanur Islam and Advocate Mohammad Alamgir from JusticeMakers Bangladesh appeared to Metropalitan Magistrate Court, Dhaka for bail on Mrs. Kolpona’s behalf and finally she got release from the jail custody.

Sued against nine police and prison officials alleging to take bribe, torture in custody and death due to negligence after torture.

A petition case being has been filed on March 21, 2012 against nine (9) police and prison officials including Jail Superintendent & Jailor of Naogaon district jail as well as former Officer in Charge (OC) and present second officer of Badalgachhi police Station under Naogaon district with the Judicial Magistrate Court, Naogaon under section 161/ 164/323/324/304 (KA) 34/506 alleging to take bribe, torture in custody and death due to negligence. The case has been filed by Mrs. Afroza Begum, wife of the victim Abdul Bari Dulu of village South Kanda (Mistripara) in Badalgachhi Police Station under Naogaon district with direct support of the human rights organization JusticeMakers Bangladesh.

The accused were identified as Anwaruzzaman, Jail Superintendent; Faruk Ahmed, Jailer of Naogoan district jail; Mahfuzul Haque, former Officer in Charge (OC) of Badalgachhi Police Station; District Jail Pharmacist Jahed Nurul Islam; Rafiqul Islam, Sub Inspector; Touhidul Alam, Sub Inspector; Karibul Hasan, Sub Inspector; Rabiul Islam, Assistant sub Inspector and Abdul Razzak, constable of Badalgachhi police station under naogaon district.

The learned No-5 Naogaon Judicial Magistrate Court of Cognizance registered the case being number C.R 34(Badal)/2012. Later, the learned Judicial Magistrate of Mr. Abu Based Mohammad Bulu Miah recorded the statement of the complainant Mrs. Afroza Begum, wife of the victim and pleased to pass an order to submit the report about whether any unnatural death (UD) case had been registered or not previously to the Sodar police station of Naogaon district regarding the death of the victim by May 13, 2012.

According to complaint, the victim Abdul Barik Dulu and the wife of the victim as well as the complainant of this case Mrs. Afroza Begum had gradually been compelled to give a lot of bribe to the police officer of Badalgachhi police station for not arresting the victim as well as not attaching the goods of their home in connection of an order passed by the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court connecting a fraud case filed with the Shahbag police station in Dhaka Metropolitan Police. Continuance of it, Mr. Rabiul Islam, Sub Inspector of Badalgachhi police station demanded 20,000/= BDT for not arresting the victim on December 16, 2011 as well as not attaching the goods of their house. Furthermore, he demanded more 50,000/= Taka for not arresting the victim ad also not attaching the goods of their home by next two months. According to his demand the complainant provided BDT 5000/- to the accused sub inspector through Mr. Abdul Jalil, Member of Mithapur Union Parishad on December 18, 2011 and also promised to give more 20,000/=BDT by December 28, 2011.

Meanwhile, Touhidul Alam, sub inspector of Badalgachhi police station arrested the victim on December 20, 2011 morning and tortured in Badalgachhi police station using electric shock, kicking with boot, slapping, beating with baton on toe for whole night. Later, the victim was laid down at floor of the police custody while his physical condition was deteriorated feeding oral saline.

Getting news of the deteriorating condition of the victim on December 21, 2011 morning, the wife of the victim went to the police station where Karibul Hasan, sub inspector of the said police station asked her to give BDT 20,0000/= for the proper treatment of the victim. But the wife of the victim failed to meet up his demand due to unavailability of demeaned money. Then two police constables took the victim to the out door of Badlagachhi Upazila Health Complex and moved forward to Naogaon district Magitrate Court after primarity treatment. Then, the victim was handed over the court police of Naogaon district Judicial Magistrate court where the victim was laid down on the bench in to the court custody.

There after the victim was appeared to the Judicial Magistrate of Naogaon district with the help of court police and the learned magistrate pleased to pass an order to send him to jail custody with proper treatment on December 21, 2011. But the authority of Naogaon district jail failed to give adequate treatment of the victim providing eye washing treatment by a jail pharmacist. On night of the same date the physical condition of the victim was deteriorated, but the jail authority did not take any initiative to admit him immediately to a hospital with adequate medical facilities out side of the jailon that night, rather he was admitted to Naogaon general hospital on the following day December 22. 2011 morning, kept in bar fetters (danda beri) and hand cuff fastened with bed by thick rope with unhygienic environment.

Being informed about the deteriorating condition of the victim, the wife of the victim rushed the hospital around at noon and tried to be touch of the unconscious victim for clearing his cloth that was dirty with stool and urine left by the victim. But the jail police did not allow her to be touch with the victim, rather gave advice to bring permission from the jail authority. Finally around at 7.15 pm the victim was dead due to negligence of treatment and some unknown person came and open the bar fetters (danda beri) and hand cuff and escaped immediately.

A high level fact finding mission of Justice makers Bangladesh comprising three members, led by Advocate Shahanur Islam, founding secretary general of JusticeMakers Bangladesh had been conducted regarding the incident of this gross violation of human rights visiting the spot, taking statement of the witness, alleged perpetrators and concerned authorities. During the fact finding investigation, the Second officer of Badalgachhi police station confessed about taking bribe from the victim and proudly announced that they were entitled to take illegal money from accused person for the cost of fuel, tea and cigarette and also threatened to Mr. Shahanur Islam, chief of the fact finding team not to move forward about that matter in future. Furthermore, he made alert to Mr. Islam stating if Mr. Islam would not stop his activities connecting the incident gross violation, he would face more problems in future.

As Mrs. Afroza Begum, wife of the victim was a poor man with no ability to bear cost regarding legal battle to get justice bringing the perpetrators before the book, she sued the case with the direct assistant of human rights organization JusticeMakers Bangladesh.

Advocate Shahanur Islam, founding secretary general of JusticeMakers Bangladesh and Advocate Ashik Al Imran Hillol moved the case on behalf the complainant.
You are requested to visit the following links to read news published in difference English and Bengali news media regarding the case:
http://www.banglanews24.com/English/detailsnews.php?nssl=8d47aebdb84e4e7eaf27978a8fd00fe8&nttl=2012032236620

http://www.bangladeshnews24x7.com/?p=41910

http://www.banglakhobor24.net/2012/03/21/bangladesh/rajshahi/news/13099/

http://www.eidgongnews.com/?p=3860

http://www.bdreport24.com/archives/69156
http://www.unitednews24.com/2012/03/21/%E0%A6%A8%E0%A6%93%E0%A6%97%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%81-%E0%A6%9C%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%B2%E0%A6%BE-%E0%A6%95%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%97%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B0%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%B8%E0%A7%81%E0%A6%AA/

http://www.rtnn.net/details.php?id=44559

http://www.dailyjanakantha.com/news_view.php?nc=14&dd=2012-03-22&ni=90684

http://www.bangla.se/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=7753:2012-03-21-18-49-01&catid=34:bangla-news&Itemid=50

http://www.sylheteralo.com/%E0%A6%A8%E0%A6%93%E0%A6%97%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%81%E0%A7%9F-%E0%A6%9C%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%B2%E0%A6%B8%E0%A7%81%E0%A6%AA%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%9C%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%B2%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%93%E0%A6%B8/

http://www.ajkalerkhabarbd.com/pages/details/2012/03/22/40369

http://www.jjdin.com/?view=details&type=single&pub_no=75&cat_id=3&menu_id=16&news_type_id=1&index=5

http://bd24live.com/110/%E0%A6%A8%E0%A6%93%E0%A6%97%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%81-%E0%A6%9C%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%B2%E0%A6%BE-%E0%A6%95%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%97%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B0%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%B8%E0%A7%81%E0%A6%AA/

Mr Shahanur Islam, Founding Secretary General of JusticeMakers Bangladesh

Mr Shahanur Islam, a Bangladeshi human rights defender and founder of the newly established organisation JusticeMakers Bangladesh, discussed the situation for ethnic and sexual minorities in Bangladesh – two minority groups particularly vulnerable to human rights violations and discrimination in the country.

Mr Islam began by explaining the human rights situation for the over 3 million ethnic minority people living in Bangladesh, particularly the lack of constitutional recognition of their indigenous status and rights to their land. Disputes over land make ethnic minorities targets of aggression, violence and eviction, resulting in their marginalization and discrimination, widespread violence, rapes, killings and sexual assault.

Mr Islam then went on to discuss the situation for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) people in Bangladesh, stating that they face discrimination in all areas of society and often become targets of sexual crimes, torture, harassment and violence, in both the public and private spheres. Mr Islam discussed societal discrimination of LGBT people, stating they are stigmatized and deprived of their rights ‐ exemplified by the criminalisation of homosexual acts in Bangladesh.

Finally, he talked about the situation for human rights activists defending ethnic and sexual minorities, referring to his personal situation and the threats he has received during the course of his work. Mr Islam finished by urging the EU to take initiative to ensure protection of human rights defenders through intergovernmental dialogue and direct support. He underlined a number of recommendations for the government of Bangladesh, which he asked those in the room to support and encourage by any means possible, beginning with the full implementation of the 1997 Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) Peace Accord, restoring the indigenous population’s rights to their land, ratification of the UN declaration of the rights to indigenous people and ILO Convention – including sections 107 and 169 (referring to the rights of indigenous peoples), and finally, the decriminalisation of homosexual acts.

Human rights of LGBT persons are not recognised in Bangladesh. They are abused, discriminated, arrested,tortured and killed simply because of who they are, or who they are perceived to be.
Shahanur Islam

To read full report please click here http://shahanur.blogspot.com/2012/02/report-of-ghrd-protecting-minority.html

Mr Shahanur Islam, Founding Secretary General of JusticeMakers Bangladesh

Mr Islam, a human rights defender and founder of the newly established organisation JusticeMakers Bangladesh, discussed the situation of ethnic and sexual minorities in Bangladesh – two minority groups particularly vulnerable to human rights violations and discrimination.

Mr Islam addressed the human rights situation of the ethnic minority people living in Bangladesh. Key issues included: a lack of constitutional recognition of their indigenous status and their rights to land, land disputes which makes them targets of violence, eviction, rapes, killings and sexual assaults. He addressed the conflict in the Chittagong Hill Tract region, and claimed that the government of Bangladesh has failed to implement integral clauses of the 1997 Peace Accord.

He further highlighted the situation of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) people living in Bangladesh, stating that they face discrimination in all areas of society and often become the targets of sexual crimes, torture, harassment and violence, in the public and private spheres. Mr Islam discussed societal discrimination of LGBT people, stating they are constitutionally not recognized, stigmatized and socially not accepted ‐ exemplified by the criminalisation of homosexual acts.

Mr Islam ended his presentation by urging the Dutch Parliament to take initiatives to ensure protection of human rights defenders through intergovernmental dialogue and direct support, and he referred to his personal situation. He underlined a number of recommendations beginning with the full implementation of 1997 Chittagong Hill Tracts Peace Accord, and the need to ratify the UN declaration of the rights to indigenous people, decriminalize homosexual acts, and ratify the ILO Convention – including sections 107 and 169 (referring to the rights of indigenous peoples).

Mr Islam ended his presentation by urging the Dutch Parliament to take initiatives to ensure protection of human rights defenders through intergovernmental dialogue and direct support.

To read full report please click here http://shahanur.blogspot.com/2012/02/report-of-ghrd-hearing-dutch-parliament.html

JusticeMakers Bangladesh – Advocate Shahanur Islam, Founding Secretary General

Representing his newly established organization, JusticeMakers Bangladesh, Advocate Shahanur Islam discussed the organization’s target groups: ethnic, religious, social and sexual minorities, and victims of torture and extra‐judicial killings.

Mr Islam mentioned key future goals to be: building a strong network for minorities in Bangladesh and building up the networking capacity of the organization and the minority communities. He also discussed work he had begun in collaboration with GHRD with a new minority target group: sexual minorities in Bangladesh and the nature of discrimination against this group, often in the form of societal stigmatization but also in the form of sexual violations, violence and torture. Mr Islam also highlighted the need for advocacy on legal reform, to remove the criminalization of homosexual acts in the Bangladeshi Penal Code.

Questions and dialogue from other participants centred on the right to information, particularly in remote areas, and questions around how JusticeMakers Bangladesh are working with sexual minorities currently and the goals for future operations in this area. Mr Islam responded that he has begun interviewing sexual minority individuals and organizations in order to discover the rights and violations involved and how LGBT rights are viewed in Bangladesh.

Ms Lundström formally announced the intention of GHRD to start including sexual minorities (LGBT communities) in its work as they belong to the most marginalized groups in South Asia. She expressed the position that LGBT rights essentially are human rights, and as such sexual minorities should be included into the mainstream human rights community. She finally announced that GHRD has submitted programs for funding with the Dutch Foreign Ministry in this regard.

To read full report please click here http://shahanur.blogspot.com/2012/02/report-of-ghrd-symposium-of-grass-root.html#more

Government security forces have denied any fault after physically attacking and indiscriminately beating 22 Jumma students during a peaceful demonstration

On the 7th of August, 2011 over 900 students from Khagrachari College demonstrated for constitutional recognition of indigenous people in Bangladesh. During the demonstration, law enforcement agencies indiscriminately beat and assaulted 22 Jumma students for protesting.

GHRD’s local partner and Co-Founder of JusticeMakers Bangladesh Advocate Shahanur Islam and a team of four went to Khagrachari, CHT to conduct a fact finding investigation into the assaults and intimidation of students following the demonstration.

During the investigation, the fact finding team was continuously followed and were questioned about their purpose for visiting the region, their organization and what they were investigating creating an scared atmosphere to intimidate Mr. Islam, leader of the fact finding team. GHRD in partnership with Justicemakers Bangladesh are to date the only human rights organization to conduct a first hand investigation into the incident.

As the peaceful procession left from the college compound gate on 7th August, upwards of 60 policemen, including the Assistant Superintendent of the Khagrachari Police and the Officer in Charge of the Kotowali Police Station, created a barrier to direct the flow towards Chengis Square. There, they suddenly attacked the students with batons, kicking and slapping them. 22 students were injured, among which four were severely injured. As the procession was heading back, officers and army men surrounded the college gate and the hospital; they picked out one student, and indiscriminately beat him, resulting in severe injuries.

The police have denied all wrongdoing and have threatened that if such a peaceful demonstration were to occur again; protestors can expect even worse retaliation by the police and could lose their careers. Given the denial of fault by the police authorities, it is no surprise that no case has been filed or registered with the authorities.

The right to peaceful assembly is a fundamental right that is preserved by law in Bangladesh. Article 36 of the Constitution of Bangladesh states: “every citizen shall have the right to assemble and to participate in public meetings and processions peacefully”. This reflects human rights precepts set out in fundamental international human rights agreements which Bangladesh is a state party to: Article 20 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and article 21 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) both preserve the right to hold a peaceful assembly, gathering, procession or demonstration.

Despite these legal precepts, free assembly is severely restricted in practice and the right is violated regularly by police authorities who stop gatherings through the use of violence and intimidation.

By definition, torture is inflicted by or at the instigation of or with the consent or acquiescence of a public official or other person acting in an official capacity (art 1 Convention Against Torture – CAT). During the Khagrachari demonstration, police authorities beat, slapped and kicked the students in order to stop their protest and in punishment for speaking out.

Torture is prohibited in the Constitution of Bangladesh, Article 35 (5) and Bangladesh is also a state party to the UN Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT). The actions of the police authorities on this occasion clearly come within definitions of torture, however, no action to investigate, punish or restrain them has been made – the government of Bangladesh is in clear violation of its international commitment. The government of Bangladesh has also refused to implement Article 14 of CAT, an integral part of the convention which guarantees victims the legally-enforceable right of redress, rehabilitation and compensation, effectively negating its commitment to the entire treaty.

The Khagrachari police authorities have failed to follow these two fundamental legal principles and in the process have violated the rights of the demonstrating students. A full and impartial investigation into police misconduct is required in order to (a) hold those accountable for these violations responsible, and (b) demonstrate that the right to peaceful assembly and the right not to be tortured are respected and upheld in Bangladesh. Without government intervention in this matter, police impunity and disregard for human rights will continue and those violated will not have their rights preserved.

GHRD and Justicemakers Bangladesh demand that a full and impartial investigation into the police misconduct is required and that those responsible are punished.

Mr. Shahanur Islam, JusticeMakers Fellow 10, Switzerland and also executive director of Bangladesh Institute of Human Rights (BIHR) is talking with the affected people of massive arson attacked on Jumma people on 17 April 2011 at Khagrachhari District. http://www.youtube.com/saikotbihr#p/a/u/0/9lTDGXuBkYM