Political and Democratic Environment Report January’2014

8/12/2019 Political and Democratic Environment Report January2014

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Political and DemocraticEnvironment Report

January2014


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Introduction

Human rights situation in Bangladesh has been worsening day by day and this is very alarming

as to a significant stage the rights are being violated by the state itself. Various institutions are

objected to malfunctioning at political will causing further deterioration of institutionalization

contrary to the good governance and a healthy culture. Lax law enforcement panics people.

Table-11

Statistics January- May 2013

Type of Human Rights Violation

January

February

March

April

May

Total

Extrajudicia

l Killings

Crossfire 5 7 5 5 4 26

Torture to death 0 1 0 0 3 4

Shot to death 2 72 47 2 18 141

Beaten to death 2 1 0 0 0 3

Strangled to death 0 0 0 1 0 1

Total 9 81 52 8 25 175

Torture (Alive) 4 3 3 2 0 12

Disappearance 2 1 1 8 0 12

Human rights

violations by

Indian BSF

Bangladeshis killed 5 1 2 1 3 12

Bangladeshis Injured 16 7 6 4 10 43

Bangladeshis Abducted 12 3 16 12 10 53

11Odhikar Report:http://www.odhikar.org/documents/2013/HRR_2013/human-rights-monitoring-monthly-

report-may-2013-eng.pdf
http://www.odhikar.org/documents/2013/HRR_2013/human-rights-monitoring-monthly-report-may-2013-eng.pdfhttp://www.odhikar.org/documents/2013/HRR_2013/human-rights-monitoring-monthly-report-may-2013-eng.pdfhttp://www.odhikar.org/documents/2013/HRR_2013/human-rights-monitoring-monthly-report-may-2013-eng.pdfhttp://www.odhikar.org/documents/2013/HRR_2013/human-rights-monitoring-monthly-report-may-2013-eng.pdfhttp://www.odhikar.org/documents/2013/HRR_2013/human-rights-monitoring-monthly-report-may-2013-eng.pdfhttp://www.odhikar.org/documents/2013/HRR_2013/human-rights-monitoring-monthly-report-may-2013-eng.pdf


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Deaths in Jail 3 6 6 2 12 29

Attack on

Journalists

Killed 0 0 0 0 0 0

Injured 20 18 21 17 13 89

Threatened 2 3 7 9 0 21

Attacked 0 7 0 0 0 7

Assaulted 1 5 4 20 0 30

Political Violence

Killed 18 86 76 26 46 252

Injured 1643 2772 3055 1450 948 9868

Acid violence 5 3 2 4 1 15

Dowry related violence (including women

victims, their children and relatives)

37 42 54 64 16 213

Rape 109 93 115 108 28 453

Sexual harassment/ Stalking of women 44 31 51 46 10 182

Section 144 of Cr. PC 9 10 4 2 0 25

Public lynching 17 8 10 6 9 50

RMG Killed 8 0 0 1129 0 1137

Injured 235 178 75 2638 361 3532


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Table 22

Comparison among the year 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012

Type of violence 2012 2011 2010 2009

Extra-judicial killing 70 84 127 154

Death in Custody 63 105 109 123

Disappearance 24 30 16 2

Attack on journalists (including killed,

injured, assaulted, attacked, threatened)

289 206 263 266

Killed by BSF 38 31 74 98

Political Violence: Killed 169 101 220 251

Acid violence 105 101 137 101

Dowry violence against women 822 516 378 319

Rape 805 711 556 456

Public Lynching 132 161 74 127

Died : Readymade Garments Worker 115 4 33 7

2Odhikar Report:http://www.odhikar.org/documents/2013/AHRR_2012/report-Annual%20Human%20Rights%20Report-2012-eng.pdf
http://www.odhikar.org/documents/2013/AHRR_2012/report-Annual%20Human%20Rights%20Report-2012-eng.pdfhttp://www.odhikar.org/documents/2013/AHRR_2012/report-Annual%20Human%20Rights%20Report-2012-eng.pdfhttp://www.odhikar.org/documents/2013/AHRR_2012/report-Annual%20Human%20Rights%20Report-2012-eng.pdfhttp://www.odhikar.org/documents/2013/AHRR_2012/report-Annual%20Human%20Rights%20Report-2012-eng.pdfhttp://www.odhikar.org/documents/2013/AHRR_2012/report-Annual%20Human%20Rights%20Report-2012-eng.pdfhttp://www.odhikar.org/documents/2013/AHRR_2012/report-Annual%20Human%20Rights%20Report-2012-eng.pdf


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Comparison among the years shown in percentage

Type of violence 2012 2011 2010

Extra-judicial killing -17% -34% -18%

Death in Custody -40% -4% -11%

Disappearance -20% 88% 700%

Attack on journalists 40% -22% -1%

Killed by BSF 23% -58% -24%

Political Violence: Killed 67% -54% -12%

Acid violence 4% -26% 36%

Dowry violence against women 59% 37% 18%

Rape 13% 28% 22%

Public Lynching -18% 118% -42%

Died : Readymade Garments

Worker

2775% -88% 371%

70 6324

289

38

169

105

822 805

132 115

84 105 30 206 31 101 101 516 711 161 40

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

900Comparision among the year 2009,2010,2011 and 2012

2012

2011

2010

2009


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Concern of the International Organizations

Many national and international Human Rights Organizations showed their concerns as to the

recent human rights status in Bangladesh such as:

1.Human Rights Watch (HRW)opines in its website that, Bangladeshs overall human rights

situation worsened in 2012, as the government narrowed political and civil society space,

shielded abusive security forces from accountability, and ignored calls to reform laws and

procedures in flawed war crimes and mutiny trials. The security forces disguised extrajudicial

killings as crossfire killings. Opposition members and political activists disappeared. Flawed

trials against those accused of war crimes in the 1971 war for independence continued. When

Rohingya refugees fled to Bangladesh from persecution in Burma, the government pushed back

boatloads of refugees, insisting that it had no obligation to provide them sanctuary.3

On March 1, Human Rights Watch also shows its grave concern to the 40 deaths in Bangladesh.

In a statement it said, most deaths appear to have been caused by the security forces using live

ammunition against Jamaat protesters. It urged the government to publicly order the security

forces to follow the United Nations Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law

Enforcement Officials. Human Rights Watch also called for effective investigations into the

deaths of all killed during the demonstrations.

Human Rights Watch has long called for justice for victims of the 1971 atrocities to be provided

through fair trials. However, the trials conducted thus far have been replete with irregularities.

3http://www.hrw.org/node/104610


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HRW opposes the death penalty in all circumstances as an inherently irreversible, inhumane

punishment.4

2.Amnesty Internationalinits 2012 annual report says, some 30 extrajudicial executions took

placein Bangladesh.State security forces were implicated in torture and other ill-treatment and

at least 10 enforced disappearances.Political violence resulted in the death of at least four men.

Women continued to be subjected to various forms of violence. The government failed to protect

Indigenous communities from attack by Bengali settlers.At least 111 workers died in a factory

fire, some allegedly because officials refused to let them leave the premises. More than 20

Buddhist temples and monasteries, one Hindu temple and scores of Buddhist homes and shops

were set on fire during a communal attack.One person was executed and at least 45 people were

sentenced to death.Nevertheless in January, the Prime Minister stated that no human rights

violations had been committed in the country.5

In a Public Statement6 issued on 22 February 2013, Amnesty International showed its concern

over new amendments to the International Crimes (Tribunals) Act 1973 (ICT Act) made by the

government of Bangladesh that may be used to push for hasty death sentences to be imposed on

individuals convicted by Bangladeshs International Crimes Tribunal (ICT). The amendments,

passed by Parliament on 17 February, permit the prosecution to appeal against any decision of

the ICT to impose a lesser sentence.

3.Asian Human Rights Commission, on March 7, 2013 criticized the tribunal to be shoddy

and shows its concern towards the violence arising out of the verdict of the same that is about to

4 http://www.hrw.org/news/2013/03/01/bangladesh-end-violence-over-war-crimes-trials 5http://www.amnesty.org/en/region/bangladesh/report-20126http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/asset/ASA13/003/2013/en/ebddb9c9-b5ea-418b-9b90-

0ab53c8c51bc/asa130032013en.html
http://www.hrw.org/news/2013/03/01/bangladesh-end-violence-over-war-crimes-trialshttp://www.hrw.org/news/2013/03/01/bangladesh-end-violence-over-war-crimes-trialshttp://www.amnesty.org/en/library/asset/ASA13/003/2013/en/ebddb9c9-b5ea-418b-9b90-0ab53c8c51bc/asa130032013en.htmlhttp://www.amnesty.org/en/library/asset/ASA13/003/2013/en/ebddb9c9-b5ea-418b-9b90-0ab53c8c51bc/asa130032013en.htmlhttp://www.amnesty.org/en/library/asset/ASA13/003/2013/en/ebddb9c9-b5ea-418b-9b90-0ab53c8c51bc/asa130032013en.htmlhttp://www.amnesty.org/en/library/asset/ASA13/003/2013/en/ebddb9c9-b5ea-418b-9b90-0ab53c8c51bc/asa130032013en.htmlhttp://www.amnesty.org/en/library/asset/ASA13/003/2013/en/ebddb9c9-b5ea-418b-9b90-0ab53c8c51bc/asa130032013en.htmlhttp://www.amnesty.org/en/library/asset/ASA13/003/2013/en/ebddb9c9-b5ea-418b-9b90-0ab53c8c51bc/asa130032013en.htmlhttp://www.hrw.org/news/2013/03/01/bangladesh-end-violence-over-war-crimes-trials


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lead the nation to civil war. On its own website, it states: the tribunal has pushed Bangladesh to

extreme violence. Since 28 February, the events have taken a violent turn in which almost 100

persons including women, children and police officers have lost life. Several hundreds more are

injured, and properties destroyed of which no body in the country has any true count.7

4.On March 4, the Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Prof.

Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, has been following with concern the serious situation in Bangladesh

which claimed dozens of lives and caused the destruction of public and private properties. In

trying to bring about satisfactory solutions to the countrys political and social issues, the

Secretary General invited all parties to refrain from all acts of violence which go against the

interests of the country, and called for the proper respect of the rule of law by all.8

5.On February 7, 2013 two independent United Nationshuman rights experts Christof Heyns

and Gabriela Knaulstressed that justice for past crimes in Bangladesh requires fair trials, after

voicing concern at recent sentences, including the death penalty, handed down in cases that did

not ensure due process.9

6. International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) criticized the International Crimes Tribunal

established by Govt. of Bangladesh to bring the accused for crimes against humanity to justice. It

said that, the death sentence handed down by the International Crimes Tribunal against Delwar

Hossain Sayeedi violates international standards of due process and fair trial, and, if carried out,

would violate his right to life.10

7http://www.humanrights.asia/news/ahrc-news/AHRC-STM-052-2013 8 http://www.oic-oci.org/topic_detail.asp?t_id=78079http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=44089&Cr=death&Cr1=penalty10http://www.icj.org/bangladesh-international-crimes-tribunal-should-pursue-justice-not-vengeance/
http://www.humanrights.asia/news/ahrc-news/AHRC-STM-052-2013http://www.humanrights.asia/news/ahrc-news/AHRC-STM-052-2013http://www.humanrights.asia/news/ahrc-news/AHRC-STM-052-2013http://www.oic-oci.org/topic_detail.asp?t_id=7807http://www.oic-oci.org/topic_detail.asp?t_id=7807http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=44089&Cr=death&Cr1=penaltyhttp://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=44089&Cr=death&Cr1=penaltyhttp://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=44089&Cr=death&Cr1=penaltyhttp://www.icj.org/bangladesh-international-crimes-tribunal-should-pursue-justice-not-vengeance/http://www.icj.org/bangladesh-international-crimes-tribunal-should-pursue-justice-not-vengeance/http://www.icj.org/bangladesh-international-crimes-tribunal-should-pursue-justice-not-vengeance/http://www.icj.org/bangladesh-international-crimes-tribunal-should-pursue-justice-not-vengeance/http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=44089&Cr=death&Cr1=penaltyhttp://www.oic-oci.org/topic_detail.asp?t_id=7807http://www.humanrights.asia/news/ahrc-news/AHRC-STM-052-2013


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Killing

The New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists has reported that journalists inseveral countries were also murdered after reporting on sensitive subjects. Reporters and

commentators who covered police misconduct, political corruption or drug trafficking

and other sensitive topics were slain in separate incidents in Brazil, Colombia, the

Philippines, India, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Russia.11

Ekushey Padak winner photojournalist Aftab Ahmed has been killed. The policesuspected that he had been strangled in the flat on WAPDA Road where he had lived

alone. Aftab was a known for his work during the war of independence and he shot to

fame for his photograph of Basanti, a woman in rag wearing fishing net, showing the

severity of the famine in 1974.12

,13

An activist of Jatiyatabadi Jubo Dal of the BNP, was shot dead and several others werewounded in a clash between blockaders and BGB personnel in Chandpur. The first day of

the BNP-led opposition's indefinite blockade across the country saw armed response from

security forces to shut the movement of opposition to cancel the one-party election.14

The body of an Shibir leader was found with three bullet wounds beside Dhaka-Chittagong highway near Teriail area in Sitakunda upazila of Chittagong yesterday.

Family sources said some 20 men, in plain clothes, picked up this victim from the house

11New age: 31/12/2013

12New age: 26/12/2013

13Sangram: 26.12.2013

14The Daily Star: 2.1.2014


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of his brother-in-law the previous day. They suspect that the men belonged to RAB and

police.15

In 2013 Bangladesh has seen 848 events of political violence. In these events 507 diedand 22407 people were injured. Among the deceased were 15 police and 2 members of

BGB.16

In Dhaka central jail an inmate called Shah Alam died for reasons unknown. His relativessaid that he was tortured to death. His mother said he was sentenced for 9 years on an

illegal arms case.17

In Raypur, Laxmipur, Jubo League leaders snatched tender boxes from LocalGovernment Engineering department that was worth taka 2 crores and 20 lacs. They

destroyed the tender box. This happened at the LGED office.18

In Rangunia, Chittagong a Juba Dal leader named Jahangir Alam was killed by bulletsshot by a gang of criminals. I was returning home when he was shot. He was in garments

products business.19

Jhikorgachhas Jubo Dal leader named Nannu was killed in Dhaka. On January 20thNannu participated in the mass gathering at the Sohrawardi park. Police captured him

while returning home suspecting he was shibir and tortured him to death. His body bears

marks of many bullet wounds and his throat was slit.20

15The Daily Star: 20.1.2014

16Amar Desh: 1.1.2014

17Sangram: 2.1.2014

18Sangram: 22.1.2014

19Sangram: 25.1.2014

20Sangram: 25.1.2014


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Awami governments regime has seen 12921 crimes in Pabna in last 5 years. Amongthese crimes there were 401 murders. 150 were sentenced linked to these crimes. So, only

8% of the criminal cases were actually resolved at court.21

In Chandpur, BGB killed a Jubo Dal leader. This killing raised tension in the area. Policeshot people who attempted to break a BGB car. Their bullet killed the Jubo Dal leader.

22

In Meherpur, a Jamaat leader was killed by joint-forces while he was returning home. Hisfamily said it was a cold-blooeded murder. On the other hand, Joint-forces claimed that it

was agun fight. Actually, the victim was arrested from home at later at midnight was

taken to a graveyard and shot dead.23

,24

A news report said that in last three years police could not or did not manage to arrest theAwami gang members that killed Chhatro Dal leader Onu. In 2011 he was kidnapped and

tortured to death by Awami cadres in a brick field.25

In Muradnagar, Comilla Awami cadres killed a BNP activist called Jasim Uddin (40) fornot paying the money they tried to extort out of him. The victim was filling a pond with

soil beside his house and Awami cadres demanded taka 5 lac for letting him to that.26

The

Awami cadres also killed an expat for money.27

During the embargo and blockade called on by BNP to get the one-party election ofAwami League cancelled several clashes and arsons took place. Two transportation

21Sangram: 23.1.2014

22Prothom Alo: 1.1.2014

23Amar Desh: 1.1.2014

24Sangram: 1.1.2014

25Amar Desh: 2.1.2014

26Amar Desh: 4.1.2014



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workers died from a fire that occurred after a bus was petrol-bombed in Dinajpur. Many

cars were burnt down in many places.28

,29

A news report said that over the last 5 years of Awami rule A festival of murder tookplace. Over last five years over 21 thousand people were murdered in this country. That

is 11 murders per day on average.30

In Chor Martin, Laxmi pur, an Awami leaders brother raped wife of an expat. After thishorrible crime, the victim tried to commit suicide drinking insecticide. While her family

was taking her to hospital, Awam cadres attempted to stop them so the victim would die

and/or the crime would be unreported.

31

In Shatkhira, police took a Jamaat leader from home and then shot him dead. Thisunfortunate event of murder took place in Debhata. Police officer Tarok Biswas took him

from streets, then after taking him to Nanglaghona he shot the victim three times below

waist. The victim was taken to Sadar Hospital but he was already dead from bleeding.32

In Savar, police recovered hanging body of a young woman from a falt. Juba Leagueleader Rajib rented that flat. The neighbors said that Rajib had an illegitimate relationship

with the victim. Police said it could be a suicide.33

A BCL cadre threatened to kill a professor from Jahangir Nagar University. The BCLcadre who was also a student was not eligible to take part in exam. When the professor

28Amar Desh: 4.1.2014


30Amar Desh: 13.1.2014

31Amar Desh: 13.1.2014

32Amar Desh: 16.1.2014

33Amar Desh: 16.1.2014


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Three days after going missing a shibir members body was recovered from besideDhaka-Chittagong highway. The victims body was bearing bullet wounds on his head

and chest. Police recovered the body and sent to morgue.40

BNP leaders who were charged of attacking on MP Asaduzzam Nurs convoy were beingkidnapped and killed. The first one to go this way was Golam Rabbani. His body was

found after he went missing in Nilfamari.41

Police killed two people in Nilfamari. According to police these men tried to damage thestored goods at voting centers. One of the victim was a student and the other was a

Jamaat leader.42

In an attack led by Awami league cadres to occupy a student hall led to death of 1 Shibirman and injury of 20. The Awami cadres were guarded by police and armed with blades

and firearms.43

In the capital city of Dhaka, a Shibir man was killed by police. Shibir brought out a rallyin support of March for Democracy. Police sprayed bullets all of a sudden on their rally

which killed the victim. 15 others were arrested from the spot.44

Joint-forces killed Jamaats District Secretary at Meherpur. He was taken by the Joint-forces and shot dead. Police claimed that the victim was trying to escape when he was

shot dead.45

40Sangram: 20.1.2013

41Sangram: 21.1.2013


43Amar Desh: 13.1.2014

44Sangram: 30.12.2013

45Sangram: 21.1.2013


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Torture Vandalizing and vandalizing

Awami League men attacked a local Juba Dal leaders house at village Thakurbari underRupganj in Narayanganj. Rupganj upazila unit Juba Dal social welfare secretary Kabir

Hossain said some Awami League men, led by Hazibur Rahman, vandalised his house

and looted goods as he did not go to the polling centre to cast vote in the 10th national

parliament election.46

Awami League activists allegedly set fire to a BNP office in Pirojpur. Police andwitnesses said unidentified miscreants torched the district unit office of Awami League

on Sadar Road. Police said they heard that Awami League activists had brought out a

procession before the BNP office was set on fire.47

A Chhatra League leader at Jahangirnagar University assaulted urban and regionalplanning departments chairman Golam Moinuddin and threatened to shoot some other

teachers who had protested at the incident. The teacher came under attack at the social

science building as he was coming to government and politics department.48

At least 10 people, including a policeman, were injured and local BNP office was setafire during a turf war between two factions of Bangladesh Chhatra League in

Chuadanga. During the clash, Chhatra League cadres vandalized two shops, one

motorcycle, a truck, an auto-rickshaw and six houses. They also torched a police van.49

Some over-enthusiast police went crazy over resisting March For Democracy. InFokirapool, Dhaka policemen directed a raid to catch active BNP leaders. They ordered a

46New Age: 14.1.2014

47New Age: 11.1.2014

48New Age: 24.1.2014; The Daily Star: 24.1.2014

49The Daily Star: 25.1.2014; Prothom Alo: 25.1.2014


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hotel to be shut down, and a worker from that hotel was delaying so they threw boiled oil

on him. He was in critical condition when he was placed in Dhaka Medical College

Hospital.50

DCs of different districts had been sending letters of concern to State ministry reportingthat many minority people were being victim of torture, looting, rape, murder, etc.

Government promised justice for the victim and immediate actions to stop the

miscreants.51

In Shitakundu, Jubo Leagues miscreants attacked a businessmans house in broaddaylight. The women of the businessmans family were beaten and shot. The victims

were admitted in the Shitakundu health complex for medical attention.52

In Lalmonirhat, miscreants attacked a BNP leaders house and set it on fire. The BNPleader said many valuables worth taka 20 lac were looted from the house which was.

Awami secretary of the district denied this crime to have involvement with his

organization.53

A news report said that in the last year of 2013 in political violence BCL tortured 500students and crippled 200 around the country. Most of them were tortured suspecting

their involvement with Shibir.54

In Rajapur, Jhalokathi, local miscreants who were rivals to Juba Dal secretary KismotForazi chopped him and cut of veins on his left hand. Besides his face and head was

injured. He was taken to Dhaka Orthopedic hospital for treatment.55

50Amar Desh: 29.12.2013

51Amar Desh: 11.12.2013s

52Sangram: 21.1.2014; Amar Desh: 21.1.2014


54Sangram: 13.1.2014


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In an assembly of Nationalist Attorney Forum BCL members attacked. This attack tookplace in Vola, Barisal. A member of the forum said that during their peaceful program

BCL members attacked them with bricks and stole their banners.56

Police arrested 3 BCL members from Parnanduyali bus stand in Magura when they weretrying to set a bus on fire by throwing petrol bombs. They were taken in for interrogation.

On this BCL secretary said it was unfortunate57

In Jhenaidah Awami miscreants snatched an expat from his family and mercilesslychopped. His veins in his legs were cut off. He was in critical condition when he was

placed in Jessore Hospital.58

In Bandarban, BCL members, a gang of 25-30, attacked a household and looted theirhouse and destroyed their home. 2 little girls were injured. These awami miscreants were

assisted by police, said the victims.59

In Potuakhali Awami League leader beat up several Hindu businessmen. Awam cadresillegally occupied a land owned by Hindu people. This happened when across Potuakhali,

demonstrations against torturing minority Hindu people took place.60

In Pachbibi, Jaypurhat, a group of miscreants set BNP office on fire. This fire destroyedvaluables and firnitures of the office. Fire service was informed but no one came from the

service. Local people threw water and brought the fire under control.61

55Amar Desh: 29.12.2013


57Amar Desh: 2.12.2013; Prothom Alo: 1.1.2014

58Sangram: 14.1.2014


60Amar Desh: 13.1.2013

61Sangram: 13.1.2014


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In Comilla university, a BCL-Chhatra Dal clash left 23 injured. In the campus this clasherupted after two rival student wings brought out rallies for freshmen. Police shot rubber

bullets to keep it under control.68

A news report reveals that Chittagong Universitys Shah Jalal Hall was controlled byBCL and used for storing illegal arms, tading drugs and kidnap and torture businessmen

for money. The students were not allowed to enter the hall.69

In Chandpur, BCL set a BNP office on fire and damaged it. They rallied from MukherjeeGhat and attacked the BNP office. A neighbor woman was also attacked and beaten.

They attacked two other houses in the neighborhood.70

In Khulna miscreants burnt down 8 rooms owned by a Juba Dal leader. The damagecaused by the fire was a loss worth taka 8-10 lacs. In exhausting the fire, a man was

injured. The tenants lost all their belongings and now were living under open sky.71

In Kabirhat, police constable and computer operator Anisur Rahman was attacked andinjured by BCL cadres. The victim was taken to hospital. He was settling a dispute when

the Awam cadres attacked him.72

In Kachua a case of attacking former State Minister Mohiuddin Khan Alamgirs convoyand throwing shoes at him was filed against named 41 and unnamed 3041. In another

news, 5 educational institutes and several businesses were attacked, damaged and

destroyed by BCL members. The loss was worth over taka 1 crore.73

68ProthomAlo: 19.1.2014

69Amar Desh: 29.12.2013

70Sangram: 4.1.2014

71Sangram: 13.1.2014

72Sangram: 18.1.2014

73Sangram: 18.1.2014


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To suppress the opposition BNPs March for Democracy BCL called it anti -democraticand terroristic and asserted that they would do anything to stop the march for

democracy. The audacious BCL leader said if they drop one dead body, we will drop

ten.74

In Dhaka University campus an admission-aspirant was beaten with a hammer by a BCLleader. He was in critical condition when he was sent to police. BCL said that the victim

was suspected to be a Shibir member.75

IN Agoiljhara, Barisal BCL attacked a Madrasah student from Beluhar Hesaria AlimMadrasah. The student would sit for Dakhil Examination. A group of 10-12 attacked him.

He was suspected of tearing Awami posters.76

In Another news, an Imam from

Agoiljhara was attacked and stripped and beaten up by an Awami cadre and his men.

They tried to set him on fire, but the intervention by local people saved the Imam.77

In Shah Makhdum, Rajshahi City, police and BCL men were conducting joint attacks onpeople accused on a case of damaging voting centers. They beat parents of a defendant

severely. The raids were mainly to loot the houses and find the defendants of that case.78

In Kalapara, Potuakhali an Awami League leader stripped and mercilessly beaten aHindu widow who did not agree to sleep with him. This raised the tension in the area.

Police arrested 3 linked to this horrible crime.79

74Amar Desh: 29.12.2013

75Amar Desh: 17.1.2014

76Amar Desh: 27.12.2013

77Amar Desh: 28.12.2013

78Amar Desh: 8.1.2014

79Amar Desh: 10.1.2014


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2

Democratic Climate & HR Situation

Joint-forces arrested 149 leaders/members of BNP and Jamaat. They arrested 58 fromdifferent places in Chittagong only. From Khulna they arrested 1 Dakhil student from a

Madrasah. From Shatkhira they arrested 9 Shibir members.80

In Jessore, Joint-forces and Awami cadres led an attack on BNP and Jamaat leadershouses and looted them. During hartal they shot 5 Shibir men. And three days earlier

father of a victim died from a heart attack after watching Joint-forces torturing him.81

A group of masked miscreants threw a bomb which blew off a Shibir mans wrist. Hiswhole body was wounded with splinters. Police arrested and sent to hospital. Police also

arrested 7 workers from Islami Hospital for attending this injured man.82

BCL beat up 5 Dhaka University students suspecting them to be Shibir members. Theinjured men were admitted to hospital. Among 4, 1 was in critical condition.

83

The general people of Nilfamari are passing their days in fear as the joint forces continuethe raid and arrest innocent people. The joint forces have arrested 52 people in 10 days.84

Central leaders of Bangladesh Chhatraleague have been harrassed at Chittagong ahead ofthe national elections. The leaders were in Chittagong for the election campaign. But

local Chhatraleague activists harrassed them and tried to beat them during their stay at a

local hotel. The incident took place over disputes on local Chhatraleague committees.85

80Sangram: 1.1.2014

81Sangram: 5.1.2014

82Sangram: 4.1.2014

83Amar Desh: 22.1.2014

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The Shenbag, Noakhali branch of Bangladesh Jamaat E Islami has condemned the effortof the law enforcing agencies to villify Jamaat in the case of bombing the home of Justice

Md. Jahangir Hossain of the International Crimes Tribunal. Police had earlier arrested 3

activists of Chhatraleague in the case but later changed their report and indicted Jamaat

activists in the case.86

The joint force operation continued across the country amid army patrol to assist the lawenforcement agencies for the national elections scheduled for January 5. The joint forces,

composed of the police, the Rapid Action Battalion and the Border Guard Bangladesh,

arrested at least 252 opposition men at places across the country on, with two days left

before the BNP-led alliances march for democracy towards Dhaka for December 29.87

Police have filed a case against 192 activists and leaders of BNP and Jamaat atThakurgaon after a clash took palce between the Police and opposition alliance.

88

At least 3 people have died and 5 people permanently maimed as the joint forces continuetheir operations at Satkhira. At least 160 homes and shops have been attacked, looted,

vandalized and set on fire at the area. 30 people have been arrested during the attacks.89

Police have arrested 21 activists of BNP and Jamaat at Monoharganj on suspicion ofvandalism.

90

Police have arrested the Secretary of Bagerhat poura Jamaat Mostain Billah when he wasreturning from a procession of the 18 party opposition alliance.

91


87New Age 27-12-13

88Amar Desh27-12-13

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Police have filed a case against more than 400 BNP activists after the death of a Policemember in a cocktail fire. Police conducted a raid at Rajshahi and arrested 53 leaders and

activists of te organization on the same account. The accused include BNP central Co-

Secretary Mizanur Rahman Minu, Rajshahi City Corporation Mayor Mosaddeq hossain

Bulbul and may other senior leaders.92

Police have arrested 3 tailors at Boalmari, Faridpur as they were preparing national flagsfor the opposition parties March for Democracy programme. Later they were released

after signing a bond.93

The govt. have launched an all out blockade of the capital city Dhaka ahead of theMarch for Democracy programme called by the opposition alliance. All the inter city

bus and launch has been stopped, as well as small private cars leading to the capital city

of Dhaka.94

Awami League leader Dr. Mahmud Hasan have appealed to the mass people to captureany outsiders from their area and to hand them over to the Police in the capital Dhaka

city. He made the request ahead of the national elections.95

At least 1 lac people have been displaced out of their homes after the Joint Forces begantheir operations at Satkhira. The y have continued to loot and vandalize the homes of

innocent activists of Jamaat. The male members of Satkhira cant stay at their homes as

the joint forces and Awami League goons attack the homes if they do so.96

Awami League cadres have wrecked havoc all over Dhaka city ahead of the March forDemocracy programme clled by the opposition 18 party alliance. Awami League and





96Sangram 29-12-13


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Chhatraleague cadres attacked the journalists at the National Rpess Club and injured

them severely. A separate attack was launched at the Supreme Court where the League

cadres openly attacked the lawyers at the Supreme Court premises. They also attacked the

teachers of the University of Dhaka at a separate incident.97

The house of BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia has been surrounded by Police. Theregular Police protocol for the BNP Chairperson has been removed along with the

security at the front gates. Police have barred the leader from leaving the house at any tim

and have left big trucks loaded with sand to obstruct the road in front of her house.98

The Secretary General of Bangladesh Chhatraleague have announced that Chhatraleague

will fire 10 shots in response t each shot fired duing the national elections. He made the

threat during a meeting in fornt of the National Press Club in Dhaka.99

Police have arrested thousands of peole ahead of the countrywide March for Democracycalled by the opposition 18 party alliance. Earlier the opposition had called on the general

people to come to dhaka carrying the national flag ahead of the national elections to be

held wthout the participation of the opposition allaince.100

Police have arrested 5 leaders of Bangladesh Jamaat E Islami has been arrested fromChouddagram, Comilla. The arrested leaders include the Ameer of Munshirhaat Unipon

Jamaat Belal Hossain and several other leaders.101

Police have conducted a raid at the house of central BNP leader Mirza Abbas andransacked his home. The raid was conducted to arrest cetain terrorists from his house.

102




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Police have carried on their operations to arrest activists of the opposition aheasd of thenational elections. At least 800 peoplehave been arrested in the capital Dhaka city alone

leading to the elections. The arrested include women, children and elderly people

alike.103

Police have obstructed a procession brought out by Bangladesh Islami Andolon atKushtia. They brought out the procession in protest of the one sided elections taking

place in the country.104

Awami League terrorists along with the Police have attacked lawyers at the SupremeCourt premises. The unprecedented event, which never before happened in the history of

Bangladesh, took place as the lawyers gathered in protest of the national elections. The

Police opened the gates for the terrorists to attack and then beat and tortured several

eminent and senior lawyers, including females. The leaders of the Supreme Court Bar

Association have condemned the attacks stating that such an incidence has never before

happened in the history of our country.105

Unidentified goons have set fire upon the business enterprise of a Jamaat activist at JibonNagar, Chuadanga. Jamaat activist Koels shop was set on fire at the local bazaar by the

goons.106

An innocent by stander was shot by the Police and later arrested as he ran when seeingthe Police. The victim, Mukul, was fired upon as he ran on sight of Police out of fear. He

was later arrested by the Police of Koloroa, Satkhira after the incident.107

103Amar Desh 29-12-13

104Amar Desh 29-12-13

105Sangram 30-12-13

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The law enforcing agencies have continued to kill popular leaders of Jamaat and BNPahead of the national elections. Several local leaders of Jamaat have been abducted by the

local police and then killed in the name of crossfire.108

Over the past 1 year, at east 200 people have been murdered at Chittagong, including 39political killings . the law and order situation has deteriorated severely under the Awami

League regime in the city.109

MP of Jessore 1 seat Sheikh Afiluddin have announced that 100 Chhatraleagu cadres willalways remain in the voting stations during the vote. They will never elave the line and

come back and stand at the back after casting their votes. He announced this ahead of the

national elections.110

The ultimatum given by the teachers of the University of Dhaka has ended without anysteps taking place. The teachers had earlier given an ultimatum for the responsible people

to be punished as govt. cadres atttacked them during a procession in the capital city of

Dhaka.111

In the year of 2013, at least 117 people have been murdered in Kushtia. The city hasturned into a death valley as one after another activist and leader continue to become

murdered in the city.112

Awami League MP of Jessore 1 Sheikh Afil Uddin have ordered his activists to ensurethat the Awmi League MP candidate of Jessore 2 seat must win and that they must hold

108Amar Desh 01-01-14

109Amar Desh 02-01-14

110Amar Desh 02-01-14

111Amar Desh 02-01-14

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victory rallies afterwards.Teh journalists have received copies of the speech of the MP

giving instructions to ensure the victory of the Awami League candidate.113

Joint forces along with Chhatraleague, Juboleague and Awami League cadres haveattacked and vandalized at least 24 houses at Satkania, Chittagong. They ransacked the

homes and looted when they did not find any male member s at home and harassed the

females during the raid as well.114

The Joint Forces have continued their operation at Satkhira on the homes of Jamaatactivists. At least 10 homes have been destroyed by bulldogers during the operation on

the homes of Jamaat activists at Satkhira Sadar, Kaliganj and Koloroa upazilla,

vandalizing and looting taking lace simultaneously.115

The Joint forces and Awami League goons have continued to attack and ransack thehomes of Jamaat leaders at Satkhira. The have attacked the homes of hundreds of Jamaat

activists and when not finding them there, ransacked and looted from the houses. Ameer

of Satkhira district Jamaat and Secretary both have condemned the attacks and have

stated that the Awami League activists have established a scenario unseen in history of

looting and vandalizing.116

At least 144 voting stations in 36 districts have been destroyed ahead of the nationalelections all over the country. No foreign inspection is to take pace in the elections as no

international organization agreed to send inspection teams for the elections.117

At least 11 schools have been set on fire one day before the national elections. Theschools were set up as voting stations for the elections.

118

113Prothom Alo 02-01-14

114Sangram 03-01-14

115Amar Desh 04-01-14

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MP of Noahali Sadar seat and Awami League leader Ekramul Haque have fired upon aprocession of the opposition. The MP fired upon the procession with the gun of a

policeman, local people alleged.119

The activists of Awami League have threatened the voters that they must attend thevoting polls during the national elections at Vola 3 seat. The general people have allege

that the threats were made openly by the Awami League cadres.120

Police have arrested 71 people during the country wide strike called by the 18 partyalliance. At Narsingdi, police arrested the parents and siblings of a Chhatradal leader,

when the Police failed to arrest him during a raid conducted upon his house.121

Awami League and RAB have fired upon a procession brought out by the 18 partyopposition alliance at Jessore. They open fired when the [rocession was brought out.

122

Chhatraleague cadres have posted thousands of fake votes during the national electionsall over the country. At some voting stations, the number of votes casted had been a little

over a hundred during the whole day but suddenly at the end, the number rose beyond

several thousands as Chhatraleague activists closed th gates of the voting stations and

posted the ballots themselves.123

The national elections have taken place with the voters mostly absent from the votingstations at the capital of Dhaka. Awami League activists have given false votes during the

voting, even in the presence of law enforcing agencies all over Dhaka.124

118Amar Desh 04-01-14

119Amar Desh 04-01-13



122Amar Desh 05-01-14


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Jubo League and Awami League leaders have paid taka 200 to every voters who hadcome to vote at the Dhaka 18 seat. The number of votes cast during the morning had been

a record low but Awmi League cadres arranged for fake votes to be cast during the

day.125

Disguised Awami League men have attacked the homes of Jamaat activists atMoheshour, Jhineidah. The victims include the Ameer of Moheshour UP Abdul Hai and

Pourasava Ameer Mokbul Hossain and several other Jamaat activists. The attacker looted

the homes of the victims and set fire upon their houses.126

Voters were absent from the voting stations even at Gopalganj, the fort of Awami Leagueduring the national elections. Local Awami League cadres dominated the elections as

theye casted thousands of fake votes during the elections.127

Less than 5% votes have been cast at the Dhaka 7 seat in the national elections. LocalAwami League activists casted hundreds of fake votes as the real voters did not come to

the polling stations to vote.128

At least 27 people have died all over the countryon the day of the national elections. Atleast 200 voting stations were set on fire at 50 districts. The speculation had been that

20% vote would have been cast. But the rea scenario was far worse as 10-15 votes had

been cast on an averageat the voting stations.129

Not a single vote was cast in at least 31 centers in six districts across the county in the10th Jatiya Sangsad election. At the village home of forcibly disappeared BNP leader

Elias Ali, no voter entered the polling center at Ramdana Government Primary School

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127Amar Desh 06-01-14

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under Biswanath upazila in Sylhet, said the presiding officer, Bazlur Rahman. Local

people said they had protested the enforced disappearance of Elias Ali. Some 1,910

voters were to cast their votes at the center, said the presiding officer.130

The candidate of Jatiya Party for the Coxs Bazar 4 seat has announced to forfeit his runas ocal Awami League MP and candidate Abdur Rahman Badi and his tema completely

corrupted the electoral proces and casted thousands of illegal votes. The Awami League

candidate himslef casted 1000 fake votes, demanded the Jatiya Party candidate.131

The Joint Forces have attacked and vandalized taka 5 crore worth of business propertiesat Pabna. Police also arrested 20 activists of BNP and Jamaat and sentenced them to 2

years in prison instantly.132

Leaders of Jessore district BNP have claimed that the Police are threatening them withmurder after the elections. Police have arrested more than 200 BNP activists while

Awami League goons have looted and vandalized the homes of several BNP activists in

the area.133

An Awami League leader have been caught during lighting up his own school to blameBNP and Jamaat activists at Shahjahanpur, Bogra. The incident took place as Headmaster

Abdul Mannan tried to set fire on his own school to blame the opposition.134

Police have arrested 2 leaders of BNP at Barguna on charges of illegal activities duing thelection day.

135

130New Age 06-01-14

131Amar Desh 06-01-14

132Sangram 08-01-14

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The Joint Forces have continued their attacks on Jamaat activists during the raids atGaibandha, Nilfamari, Koloroa and Monoharganj. They vandalized the homes of Jamaat

activists and arrested many including women.136

Awami League activists have set fire upon a Mandir or Holy Shrine of the Hindu religionat Kolomkanda, Netrokona. The Awami League activists set fire upon the Mandir after

the election results did not go in their favor.137

The Ghatok Dalal Nirmul Committee has demanded that the Police be given the right toshoot on sight as post election violence erupted all over the country.They condemned the

attacks strongly.138

Police have arrested 22 activists of Jamaat from the Namaj E Zanajah or funeral of Prof.A. K. M. Nazir Ahmed from Mirpur. The Central Naeeb E Ameer of Bangladesh Jamaat

E Ismai died after suffering from a stroke after hearing the news of the arrest of his son.

139

The life of the Principal of Morelganj Madrasah Maulana Abdul Bari hangs in the air ashe fights on to live after a vicious attack on him left him severely injured. The maulana

was attacked by local Chhatraleague after he did not attend the national elections.140

Awami League goons have attacked and severely injured an activist of Bangladesh salmiChhatrashibir at Satkhira Sadar upazilla. The victim, Al Amin was playing beside his

house when local Awami League cadres attacked him, cut his veins and beat him

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severely. Al Amins mother and other female family members were also injured during

the attack. Al Amin was later arrested by the Police.141

Police of the Shah Makhdum thana of Rajshahi City Corporation have continued to arrestinnocent general people of the area and harrass them by taking bribe money. The Police

threaten that if the money is not paid then the arrested would be tortued or even killed.

Police have denied the allegations.142

A leader of the Hindhu, Buddhist, Christian Alliance Parishad has alleged that AwamiLeague activists are attacking and torturing the minority Hindu people of Bagladesh. He

made the accusations while giving an interview to BBC after post election violence

erupted all over the country.143

Police have sealed off the office of the Narayanganj branch BNP at the DIT commercialarea of the city. BNP leaders have condemned the Police for the closure of their office.

They were holding a programme at their office when the raid was conducted.144

Police have mounted a raid upon the central office of Bangladesh Islami Chhatrashibirand have taken into their custody 5 vans of publication brought out by the organization

for the new year. The President of Chhatrashbir Md. Abdul Zabbar have strongly

condemned the looting of the materials and have demanded that the govt. open up the

central office of the organization immediately.145

At least 5,185 BNP and Jamaat-Shibir men have been sued on various charges inDinajpur and Sherpur districts. In Faridpur, 66 leaders and activists of the 18-party

alliance were sent to jail. According to our Dinajpur correspondent, at least 5,150 Jamaat-

141

Sangram 10-01-14142

Amar Desh 10-01-14143

Amar Desh 11-01-14144

Prothom Alo 11-01-14145

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Shibir and BNP men of Parbatipur upazila were sued in 6 separate cases on charge of

creating anarchy, setting fire to vote centres and burning electoral materials on January 5.

The presiding officers of the 16 centres in the upazila filed the cases with Parbatipur

police station.146

Awami League candidate for the national elections for Jessore Monirampur seat TipuSultan have ensured the releas of his cadre Adam Ali from the court. Ealier he had

surrounded the local Police office in demand of the release of Adam after he had been

arrested for pocesion of arms .147

Police have conducted a raid on the Daily Inqilab and sealde off its server room and

premises. They also arrested its 4 leading journalsts during the raid. Police also filed a

case against the Editor and Publisher of the newspapare under the ICT law.148

Chhatraleague activists have clashed among themselves at a meeting of Awami Leagueafter the elections at Chittagong. The clashes took lace in presenc eof the new Awami

League minister Eng. Mosharraf Hossain in demand of posts in the Chhatraleague

committee.149

Awami League goons have attacked and attempted to murder Jamaat activists NobirUddin at Boraigram upazilla. The Jamaat activist is the President of 6 no. ward branch of

the organization.150

Unknown goons have attacked the house of a Jmaat activist and set fire upon his poultryfarm. Te incident took place at Sitakunda upon victim Mohiuddin.

151

146Daily Star 14-01-14

147Amar Desh 14-01-14

148Amar Desh 17-01-14

149Amar Desh 17-01-14

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At least 28 people have been shot and over 100 people injured during the raid conductedby the joint forces at Sundarganj, Gaibandha. During the raid, looting and vandalism took

place at an unprecedented scale, the local people have alleged. The joint forces conducted

the raid in the name of arresting terrorists.152

Chhatraleague cadres have wrecked havoc on the homes of the activists of BNP andJamaat at Sitakunda, Chittagong. The Chhatraleague cadres attacked, vandalized and

looted from the homes of several local activists of the opposition allaiance. Police

however, did nothing but watch during the attacks.153

Leaders of Awami Juba League, the ruling Awami League-backed youth organisation,snatched away tender box along with the submitted bids for construction of three school

buildings in Lakshmipur. Witnesses said that at around noon Juba League leaders led by

Raipur upazila unit convener Quamrul Hasan Russell dashed into the office of the Local

government Engineering Department at Raipur and snatched the tender box and took

away the bids submitted by contractors. The department had invited tender for the

construction of the three school buildings under Primary Education Development Project-

III at an estimate cost of Tk 2.20 crore. Witnesses said the Juba League men first took

away the tender box from the office and then broke it in front of upazila complex and

took away the bids.154

Human Rights organiazation Ain O Shalish Kendro has claimed that 57 has been killedat the hands of the law enforcing agencies over the first 21 days of the year 2014. They

152Sangram 20-01-14

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have claimed that the unlawful killings has led to the severe deterioration of the law and

order scenario of the country.155

Chhatraleague and Juboleague have begun fighting for tender at Barisal division. Afterthe elections they began their illegal activities on full scale.

156

At least 24,500 BNP and Jamaat-Shibir men have been sued on charge of carrying outdestructive activities in 11 upazilas of the district during and after the January 5 national

elections. District police sources said the presiding officers, assistant presiding officers

and police filed 124 cases with respective police stations in the last 15 days since January

7. In the cases, the complainants accused the BNP and Jamaat-Shibir activists of

vandalising polling centres, looting ballot papers and ballot boxes, intimidating votes and

attacking Hindus for casting votes. According to police sources, 2900 opposition activists

were sued in Parbatipur, 2250 in Birampur, 2050 in Phulbari, 2800 in Birganj, 2650 in

Chirirbandar, 3400 in Dinajpur Sadar, 2150 in Kaharol, 1500 in Khansama, 1500 in

Nawabganj, 1150 in Hakimpur, and 2150 in Ghoraghat upazilas.157

The Ameer of Savar Poura branch of Bangladesh Jamaat E Islami Zahirul Islam has beenarrested by the Police. He was arrested from his home.

158

Joint forces allegedly violently ransacked houses and arrested women relatives of someopposition activists as they conducted raids across the country to arrest the opposition

leaders and activists. Joint forces comprising the police, Border Guard Bangladesh and

Rapid Action Battalion raided houses of several opposition leaders across the country.

Family members of Dhaka city (north) unit Juba Dal president Mamun Hasan said that

155Amar Desh 22-01-14

156Amar Desh 23-01-14


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the joint forces raided their Mirpur house at the dead of night. Failing to find him, the

joint forces vandalised the furniture, trashed all the mobile phones in the house and then

moved to Mamuns brother Mahbub Hasans house next door and carried out similar

carnage, they alleged. The joint forces picked up Mamuns two teenager nieces and their

mother, Mamuns sister-in-law. Next morning, when Mamuns sister went to Mirpur

police station to serve food to them, the police also arrested her, family sources said.159

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Ruling Awami League-backed student organisation Bangladesh Chhatra League occupiedShaheed Minar premises in Narayanganj where Shantrash Nirmul Twaki Mancha was

scheduled to hold a programme marking completion of ten months of killing college boy

Tanvir Mohammad Twaki. The Mancha was formed protesting against the murder of

Tawki, an A-level student who had gone missing on March 6, 2013 and the police had

recovered the body on March 8, 2013 from a canal of the river Sitalakhya in

Narayanganj. The Mancha has been staging protests claiming that local Awami League

leader Shamim Osmans family was involved in the killing.160

Detectives sealed off the press, shutdown IT facilities and detained four journalistsraiding The Daily Inqilab office in the capital. The four arrested journalists of the Bangla

daily are: Robiullah Robi, news editor, Rafique Mohammad, deputy chief reporter,

Ahmed Atique, diplomatic correspondent, and Afzal Bari, senior reporter, Masudur

Rahman, deputy commissioner (media) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police, told The Daily

Star. The law enforcers also shutdown the main server room and seized three computers

in the 2-hour-long drive, the police official said. Earlier police filed a case against the

editor, publisher, chief news editor and a reporter of the newspaper for publishing a

report titled, "Indian army assist joint force operation in Satkhira".161

A court in Dhaka sent the three journalists of the daily Inqilab, who were arrested, to jailafter the police had produced them in the court in a case filed under the Information and

160New Age 09-01-14


Assault on Freedom of Expression and Media


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Communication Technology Act with the Wari police in the capital Dhaka. The

newspaper in its online edition, however, apologised for publishing a report headlined

Indian troops help in joint forces operation in Satkhira on its front page on January 16

for which the journalists faced the case. After the case had been lodged, law enforcers

raided the Inqilab office, sealed its printing press and picked up news editor Robiullah

Robi, acting chief reporter Rafique Mohammad, staff reporter Atikur Rahman and

computer operator Abdus Shahid.162

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Loot and Corruption

At least seven shops of Sadar upazila unit BNP vice-president Sayedur Rahman Bhutuwere torched by criminals at Shakchar Kacharibari in Sadar upazila of the district. A shop

tenant, named Rubel Hossain, received burn injuries in the fire. Lutfar Rahman

Chowdhury, father of the BNP leader, said a gang all of a sudden came to the spot early

in the morning and torched the seven shops on the Laxmipur-Majuchowdhury Road by

pouring petrol and fled the scene. On information, one fire fighting unit from Laxmipur

town rushed to the spot and extinguished the blaze after one hour of frantic efforts. The

extent of losses from the arson could go up to Tk50 lakh, added Lutfar Rahman.163



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Intervening in Legal Procedure and Manipulation of Administrative Power

In Shatkhira, an injured Shibir man was arrested by police. He was already wounded bybullets. Police later placed him in Shatkhira Sadar Hospital.

164

Awami League cadres along with the Joint armed forces have led a vicious attack on atleast 200 homes. The incident took place at Chehelgazi union of Dinajpur. The Awami

League cadres attacked the homes, vandalized and looted from them. The victims also

included local UP Chairman and BNP leader Anisur Rahman Badshah and his house.165

Police and Awami lEague have filed cases all over the country against thousands ofactivists of the opposition after cviolent clashes erupted during and after the electons.

Police have conducted raids to arrest the BNP and opposition activists all over the

country as well.166

Local leaders and activists of ruling Awami League were seen moving in groups in andaround the polling stations at Mirpur, Banani, Uttara, Ashkona and Gulshan among other

areas in the capital flouting electoral conduct rules. Lawmen seemed to have ignored the

violation of conduct rules at the polling centres which had remarkably thin attendance as

the voting began on t 8am and continued till 4pm in 59 districts out of 64 amidst violence

and vandalism in many places. At some centres in Dhaka, teenagers were allowed to

enter the booths, allegedly to stuff balloting, as there were no polling agents to dispute

casting of votes by anyone in the controversial 10th parliamentary polls boycotted by the

main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party-led 18 party alliance. 167

164Sangram: 14.1.2014

165Sangram 08-01-14

166Amar Desh 08-0114

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Police have conducted a raid at the house of the Secretary of Islami University branch ofChhatradal and vandalized and looted from the house. Local AwamiLEague and

Chhatraleague cadres also took part in the operation.168

Awami League leader and minister Adv. Kamrul Islam has said that in orderto maintainthe law and order situation, the govt. will arrest all BNP leaders if necesasry. He made

the threat at a meeting of Dhaka City Awam League.169

Political and Democratic Environment Report January’2014

Documents

Transcript of Political and Democratic Environment Report January’2014