[RE: UP-013-2006: BANGLADESH: Three persons tortured by the Chapainawabganj police; UA-041-2006: BANGLADESH: Eight people killed and at least one hundred injured by police fire in Chapainawabganj district; UA-013-2006: BANGLADESH: Two people killed and thirty-five injured by police fire in Chapainawabganj district; UP-016-2006: BANGLADESH: Three detained and tortured leaders have been released from prison in Chapainawabganj; UP-020-2006: BANGLADESH: Transfer of the Executive Officer of Shibganj falls well short of appropriate punishment]
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UP-025-2006: BANGLADESH: Probe Commission has not yet started its investigation into the Chapainawabganj conflict
BANGLADESH: Arbitrary arrest; torture; harassment; deprivation of medical treatment; collapse of rule of law
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Dear friends,
The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) writes to inform you that the Probe Commission formed by the government on 24 January 2006 to investigate into the recent conflict in Chapainawabganj has not commenced. Despite the government directing the leading figures of the Probe Commission to report their findings within seven days, two weeks have now passed since the conflict first began. (To see further details of those incidents please refer to UA-013-2006; UA-041-2006; UP-013-2006; and UP-020-2006).
Such delay by the commission is avoidable and demonstrates the lack of will to properly investigate this matter by those with the authority to do so. For the government to establish the commission but then not pressure it to report efficiently and effectively, likewise shows a lack of commitment by government officials to ensure that justice is brought to this case.
If justice is to be served in this case, then a full and impartial investigation must be conducted into all of the incidents that occurred in Chapainawabganj district and legal action must be taken against those found to have violated the law. Such an investigation must take place immediately with no further delays tolerated.
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SUGGESTED ACTION:
Please send letters immediately to the Prime Minister, who is also in charge of the Ministry of Establishment, and the other persons listed below expressing your concern about this incident urging them to take prompt action to investigate the Chapainawabganj conflict. If the Probe Commission is not capable of doing this promptly and efficiently, as it would appear it is not, then an alternative investigative body must be established which is competent and capable of investigating this matter without any further delay.
To support this case, please click here: SEND APPEAL LETTER
SAMPLE LETTER
Dear ______________,
BANGLADESH: Probe Commission has not yet started its investigation into the Chapainawabganj conflict
I am writing to voice my dismay at the negligence by the members of the probe committee formed by the authorities in Bangladesh to investigate into the incident of police atrocities that took place in Shibganj of Chapainawabganj district in Bangladesh in recent weeks.
Such delay by the commission is avoidable and demonstrates the lack of will to properly investigate this matter by those with the authority to do so. For the government to establish the commission but then not pressure it to report efficiently and effectively, likewise shows a lack of commitment by government officials to ensure that justice is brought to this case. With every day that passes between the incidents that occurred and the investigation taking place, any evidence remaining becomes further weakened. Furthermore, allowing time to pass provides the perpetrators the possibility of intimidating and threatening any potential witnesses in this case, along with the victims of crime themselves.
I am also aware that along with this careless response, nothing has been done to properly identify the perpetrators who were allegedly involved in the incidents. Given that people were killed, tortured, arbitrarily arrested and detained, this lethargic response by the probe committee members in Bangladesh falls well short of what is required if justice is to be obtained for the victims of this case.
In light of this, I request that you ensure that prompt action is taken to investigate the Chapainawabganj conflict. If the Probe Commission is not capable of doing this promptly and efficiently, as it would appear it is not, then an alternative investigative body must be established which is competent and capable of investigating this matter without any further delay.
If it is found that the alleged perpetrators committed crimes against the victims, then they must be made accountable for their actions and if found guilty of arbitrary arrest and detention, torture and extra-judicial killing, indicted under the prevailing domestic laws of Bangladesh. During the investigation of the police protection must be afforded to the victims.
I look forward to your urgent intervention in this matter.
Yours sincerely,
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PLEASE SEND LETTERS TO:
1. Mrs. Begum Khaleda Zia
Honourable Prime Minister &
Minister for Establishment
Prime Minister's Office
Old Parliament House,
Tejgaon, Dhaka
BANGLADESH
Tel: +880 2 8828160-79, 9888677
Fax: +880 2 8113244 or 3243 or 1015 or 1490
E-mail: pm@pmobd.org or psecretary@pmobd.org (to the Secretary)
2. Mr. Abdul Quayum
Inspector General of Police (IGP)
Bangladesh Police
Police Headquarters
Fulbaria, Dhaka-1000
BANGLADESH
Tel: +88-02-9562054 or 7176451 or 7176677 (O), +88-02-8362552 or 8362553 (R)
Fax: +88-02-9563362 or 9563363
3. Mr. Md. Lutfozzaman Babor MP
State Minister
The Ministry of Home Affairs
Government of the Peoples Republic of Bangladesh
The Bangladesh Secretariat
Dhaka-1000
BANGLADESH
Tel: +88-02-7169069 (O) or 8359000 (R)
Fax: +88-02-7160405, +88-02-7164788
4. Mr. Anwarul Karim
Joint Secretary (Police)
Ministry of Home Affairs
Government of the Peoples Republic of Bangladesh
Bangladesh Secretariat
Dhaka-1000
BANGLADESH
Tel: +88-02-7164680 (O) or 8953012 (R)
Fax: +88-02-7171592
5. Mr. A J Mohammad Ali
The Attorney General of Bangladesh
The Office of the Attorney General
Supreme Court Building
Ramna, Dhaka-1000
BANGLADESH
Tel: +88-02-9562868
Fax: +88-02-9561568
6. Mr. Sayed J. R. Modassir Hossain
The Chief Justice
The Supreme Court of Bangladesh
Supreme Court Building
Ramna, Dhaka-1000
BANGLADESH
Tel: +88-02-9562792
Fax: +88-02-9565058
7. Mr. Dr. Baharul Islam BPM
Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG)
Rajshahi Range
Office of the DIG of Rajshahi Range
Rajshahi
BANGLADESH
Tel: +88-0721-772309 (O)
Fax: +88-0721-775444 (O)
8. Mr. Philip Alston
Special Rapporteur on Extra-judicial, Summary, or Arbitrary Executions
Attn: Lydie Ventre
Room 3-016, c/o OHCHR-UNOG
1211 Geneva 10
SWITZERLAND
Tel: +41 22 917 9155
Fax: +41 22 917 9006 (general)
Email: lventre@ohchr.org
9. Prof. Manfred Nowak
Special Rapporteur on the Question of Torture
Attn: Mr.Safir Syed
C/o OHCHR-UNOG
1211 Geneva 10
SWITZERLAND
Tel: +41 22 917 9230
Fax: +41 22 9179016 (general)
E-mail: ssyed@ohchr.org
10. Ms Leila Zerrougui
Chairperson
Working Group on Arbitrary Detention
c/o Miguel de la Lama
OHCHR-UNOG
1211 Geneva 10
SWITZERLAND
Fax: +41 22 917 9006 (ATTENTION: Working Group on Arbitrary Detention)
Email: mdelalama@ohchr.org
Thank you.
Urgent Appeal Programme
Asian Human Rights Commission (ahrchk@ahrchk.org)
