Dear friends,
The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has been informed that at least 16 journalists were injured due to police brutality at the Bir Sreshtha Shahid Ruhul Amin Stadium in Chittagong on 16 April 2006. The police beat the on-duty journalists with guns, sticks, boots and fists. The perpetrators also damaged and confiscated the journalists cameras after photos were taken of the police atrocities. A Deputy Commissioner and a traffic police sergeant of the Chittagong Metropolitan Police (CMP) allegedly initiated the attack. Two journalists were seriously wounded during the incident.
On 16 April 2006, at around 9:00am, photojournalist of the Agence France-Presse (AFP), Ms. Farzana Godhuli, and a senior photojournalist of the daily Prothom Alo, Mr. Shah Shamsul Haque Tengku were going to the Bir Sreshtha Shahid Ruhul Amin Stadium in Chittagong to cover the news of the second test cricket match between Bangladesh and Australia by three-wheeler scooter. Traffic police sergeant of the Chittagong Metropolitan Police (CMP), Mr. Anwar Sattar, stopped the journalists and asked them to get off the vehicle. The police sergeant reasoned that passengers without car-parking passes are not allowed to enter into the stadium area. The journalists then showed their accreditation cards and Very Important Person (VIP) car-parking pass to the policeman and requested him to allow them to proceed. The police sergeant became aggressive towards the journalists and verbally abused them. When the journalists questioned why he was behaving in this way, sergeant Anwar pulled down journalist Tengku from the vehicle and proceeded to punch and kick him while the other policemen joined in. The sergeant also threatened to kill Tengku. When other photojournalists witnessed this scene they began to take photos of the police violence. Some journalists rushed to the scene and tried to save Tengku from the brutality of the police. The sergeant became annoyed with the journalists and tried to steal their cameras.
The journalists decided not to cover the news of the cricket match protesting instead against the barbaric action of the police. The leaders of the journalist community demanded exemplary punishment of the errant police sergeant. When the local cricket organisers and administrators attempted to arrange a reconciliation between the journalists and the policeman, on condition of an unconditional apology by the perpetrator for this crime, the Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Chittagong Metropolitan Police (CMP) port zone, Mr. Ali Akbar Khan, led a group of around 25 policemen and attacked the journalists, who were sitting on the cricket ground. The DC of the CMP and his subordinates proceeded to beating the journalists with their guns, sticks, boots and fists. The police stole and broke the cameras of the journalists. At least 16 journalists and photojournalists were injured due to the atrocities of the police. Among them photojournalist of the daily Purbokone, Mr. Anurup Tito, was bleeding from his head due to the police attack. He was admitted to the Royal Hospital in Chittagong where he underwent an operation on his head that evening. Sixty-five-year-old photojournalist of the Daily Ajkal, Mr. Zahurul Haque, was severely beaten by the police with sticks and riffle butts. The police also kicked and punched him while he was lying on the ground of the stadium.
The CMP head quarters denied the action of the police in a press note on April 16 despite the scene being recorded and shown by national and international television channels and broadcasted with live pictures. However, the State Minister for Home Affairs, Mr. Lutfozzaman Babar, expressed his sorrow over the incident on April 17. The minister announced that police sergeant Anwar Sattar had been temporarily suspended while DC, Mr. Ali Akbor Khan, has been withdrawn from his duties.
Meanwhile, the journalist community across the country termed the government’s action an “Eye wash”. The journalists are continuing their protest and avoiding the news on the cricket match. They are demanding judicial inquiry into the incident and requiring the permanent suspension from service of those policemen who were involved.
SUGGESTED ACTION:
Please write letters to the persons listed below and urge them to form an independent judicial probe commission to investigate into the incident. The alleged perpetrators should be suspended from their service while the investigation is going on and protection should be provided to the journalists. Please also urge the Bangladesh government to ensure appropriate compensation for the treatment of the victims and the damage to the equipment of the journalists.
To support this case, please click here: SEND APPEAL LETTER
SAMPLE LETTER
Dear ___________,
BANGLADESH: Journalists beaten by the police at the Chittagong stadium
Names of the victims:
1. Shah Shamsul Haque Tengku, photojournalist of the Daily Prothom Alo, Chittagong
2. Mahmudul Hassan Shamim, journalist of RTV, Chittagong
3. Saidur Rahmam Shamim, journalist of the Daily Jugantor, Chittagong
4. Saiduzzaman, journalist of the Daily Amar Desh, Chittagong
5. Zahurul Haque, photojournalist of the Daily Ajkal, Chittagong
6. Ravi Shangkar, photojournalist of the Daily Ajker Kagoj, Chittagong
7. Ruhul Amin Rana, journalist of the Weekly Jai Jai Din, Chittagong
8. Anurup Tito, photojournalist of the Daily Purbokone, Chittagong
9. Sajedul Alam Tuhin, cameraman of RTV, Chittagong
10. Avijit Vanik, journalist of the Khabarpatra, Chittagong
11. Uzzal Dhar, journalist of the Naya Diganta, Chittagong
12. Rajesh Chakravarti, journalist of the Daily Shamakal, Chittagong
13. Zahid Hossain, photojournalist of the Independent, Chittagong
14. Abu Raihan, journalist of BD News 24, Chittagong
15. Zafar Iqbal, journalist of the Daily Sangram, Chittagong
16. Monti, photographer of Grameen Phone
Names of the alleged perpetrators:
1. Ali Akbor Khan, Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Police (Port Zone), the Chittagong Metropolitan Police (CMP)
2. Anwar Sattar, traffic police sergeant, the Chittagong Metropolitan Police (CMP)
3. Around 25 policemen of the Chittagong Metropolitan Police (CMP)
Date of incident: 16 April 2006
Place of incident: Bir Sreshtha Shahid Ruhul Amin Stadium, Chittagong
I am writing to express my condemnation over the police brutality of journalists in Chittagong during the second test cricket match between Bangladesh and Australia.
According to the information I have received, on 16 April 2006, at around 9:00am, photojournalist of the Agence France-Presse (AFP), Ms. Farzana Godhuli, and a senior photojournalist of the daily Prothom Alo, Mr. Shah Shamsul Haque Tengku were going to the Bir Sreshtha Shahid Ruhul Amin Stadium in Chittagong to cover the news of the second test cricket match between Bangladesh and Australia by three-wheeler scooter. Traffic police sergeant of the Chittagong Metropolitan Police (CMP), Mr. Anwar Sattar, stopped the journalists and asked them to get off the vehicle despite them having shown their accreditation cards and Very Important Person (VIP) car-parking pass. When the journalists questioned the police sergeant he become agitated towards the journalists and verbally abused them. He then pulled down journalist Tengku from the vehicle and proceeded to punch and kick him while the other policemen joined in. I have also learned that the sergeant threatened to kill Mr. Tengku. When photojournalists witnessed the violence they began taking photos of the scene. Some journalists rushed to the scene and tried to save Tengku from the brutality of the police. The sergeant became annoyed with the journalists and tried to snatch the cameras from them.
I have also learned that despite initiatives taken by the local cricket organisers and administrators to reconcile the journalists and the policeman, on condition that the latter apologise, the Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Chittagong Metropolitan Police (CMP) port zone, Mr. Ali Akbar Khan, led a group of around 25 policemen and attacked the journalists, who were sitting on the cricket ground. The DC of the CMP and his subordinates proceeded to beating the journalists with their guns, sticks, boots and fists. The police snatched and broke the cameras of the journalists. At least 16 journalists and photojournalists were injured due to the atrocities of the police. Among them photojournalist of the daily Purbokone, Mr. Anurup Tito, was bleeding from his head due to the police attacking him with a riffle butt. He was admitted to the Royal Hospital in Chittagong and underwent an operation on his head that evening. Sixty-five-year-old photojournalist of the daily Ajkal, Mr. Zahurul Haque, was severely beaten by the police with sticks and riffles. The police also kicked and punched him while he was lying on the ground of the stadium.
In light of this, I urge the government of Bangladesh to form a judicial probe commission to conduct a fair and impartial investigation. I ask you to suspend the alleged policemen from their service while the investigation is going on. Protection should be ensured to the journalists and adequate compensation should be given to them for the injuries and trauma they have suffered and the damage of the equipment done by the police. If it is found that the alleged perpetrators committed crimes against the victims, then they must be held accountable for their actions and if found guilty of crimes, indicted under the prevailing domestic laws of Bangladesh.
I look forward to your urgent intervention in this matter.
Yours sincerely,
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PLEASE SEND YOUR LETTERS TO:
1. Mrs. Begum Khaleda Zia
Prime Minister
The Government of the Peoples' Republic of Bangladesh
Office of the Prime Minister
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. Md. Lutfozzaman Babor MP
State Minister
The Ministry of Home Affairs
The 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
3. 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
4. Mr. A J Mohammad Ali
Attorney General of Bangladesh
Office of the Attorney General
Supreme Court Building
Ramna, Dhaka-1000
BANGLADESH
Tel: +88-02-9562868
Fax: +88-02-9561568
5. 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
6. Mr. Anwarul Karim
Joint Secretary (Police)
Ministry of Home Affairs
The Government of the Peoples Republic of Bangladesh
Bangladesh Secretariat
Dhaka-1000
BANGLADESH
Tel: +88-02-7164680 (O) or 8953012 (R)
Fax: +88-02-7171592
7. Mr. M A Mazedul Haque
Commissioner
Chittagong Metropolitan Police (CMP)
CMP Headquarter
Chittagong
BANGLADESH
Tel: +88 031 624100 (O)
Fax: +88 031 621565 (O)
8. 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
Thank you.
Urgent Appeal Programme
Asian Human Rights Commission (ahrchk@ahrchk.org)
