Dear __________,
BANGLADESH: Man allegedly tortured by military; police refuses to take the case
Name of victim: Mahbub Alam Liton, 35 years old, owner of a sawmill in Dhaka Cantonment area; residing at Concept Tower, Dhanmondi, Dhaka
Name of alleged perpetrators: Captain Shibli of the engineering unit and six other army personnel from Shahbagh Army Camp, Dhaka
Time and date of incident: 7am on 11 June 2007
Place of incident: An army camp in Shahbagh
I am writing to voice my deep concern regarding an alleged torture case in Dhaka. Mahbud Alam Liton was allegedly arrested by Captain Shibli from the engineering unit of Shahbagh Army Camp, Dhaka, after having a personal dispute with Shibli. Liton was taken to an army camp where he was tortured and forced to sign some documents which were not explained to him. The victim’s family tried to file a complaint to the police, but the police rejected by saying they did not have jurisdiction as the army was involved.
According to the information I received, at 7am on 11 June 2007, Liton was allegedly arrested without warrant from his home by Captain Shibli of the engineering unit and six other army personnel from Shahbagh Army Camp. Five of the alleged perpetrators were in uniform while the other two were in plainclothes. Liton was then taken to an army camp in Shahbagh where he was allegedly beaten for half an hour by Captin Shibli and another plainclothes personnel, who claimed to be a major. After the beating, he was forced to sign some documents which were not explained to him. He was then dropped back to Concept Tower.
Family of Liton and residents of Concept Tower immediately sent him to Samorita Hospital in Panthapath. Doctor examined him and could recognize torture marks on his body.
I know that Liton had had personal disputes with Captain Shibli, which might be related to his arrest and torture. Captain Shibli’s mother owns a flat on the 13th floor of Concept Tower. Liton is an executive member of the owners’ association of the building. The association had had a month long dispute with residents of 13th floor, who were planning to build a wall near the lift. On 8 June, Liton received a call from Captain Shibli, threatening him that “You have gone too far with the 13th floor
I’ll show you what the army is.”
I also learned that Liton’s wife Meher Afroz went to Dhanmondi Police Station to file a complaint against Captain Shibli and the other six unidentified army personnel, but the police refused to register the case, claiming that they did not have jurisdiction as the army was involved. Afroz then went to the army camp and submitted a written complaint.
I am completely shocked by the blatant power abuse by these members of the Bangladesh army.
I therefore urge a prompt investigation into the allegations of torture against the above military personnel. If the allegations are proven, disciplinary and legal actions should be taken against those involved. Compensation and medical assistance should also be provided to the victim. I further urge to investigate the police who denied registering the complaint by saying that the police have no jurisdiction as army was involved even though the police station and the court are only government institutions to receive a complaint by citizens.
As a state party to the Convention Against Torture (CAT), Bangladesh has the duty to actively prevent torture and other forms of degrading punishments, as well as prosecute the perpetrators. Yet, torture is still rampant in the country, especially by the army and the police. I therefore urge the Bangladesh government to implement the Convention on local level and criminalize torture in the country without further delay.
I look forward to your intervention in this case.
Yours sincerely,
—————-
PLEASE SEND LETTERS TO:
1. Dr. Fakhruddin Ahmed
Chief Adviser
Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh
Office of the Chief Advisor
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. Barrister Moinul Hossain
Adviser
Ministry of Law, Justice & Parliamentary Affairs
Bangladesh Secretariat
Dhaka-1000
BANGLADESH
Tel: +88-02-7160627 (O)
Fax: +88-02-7168557 (O)
3. Mr. Mohammad Ruhul Amin
Chief Justice
Supreme Court of Bangladesh
Supreme Court Building
Ramna, Dhaka-1000
BANGLADESH
Tel: +880 2 9562792
Fax: +880 2 9565058
4. Barrister Fida M Kamal
Attorney General of Bangladesh
Office of the Attorney General
Supreme Court Building
Ramna, Dhaka-1000
BANGLADESH
Tel: +880 2 9562868
Fax: +880 2 9561568
5. General Moeen U Ahmed
Chief of Army Staff
Bangladesh Army
Army Headquarters
Dhaka Cantonment
Dhaka
BANGLADESH
Tel: +880 2 9870011
Fax: +880 2 8754455
6. Mr. Nur Mohammad
Inspector General of Police (IGP)
Bangladesh Police
Police Headquarters’
Fulbaria, Dhaka-1000
BANGLADESH
Tel: +880 2 9562054 or 7176451 or 7176677
Fax: +880 2 9563362 or 9563363
7. Professor 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)
Thank you.
Urgent Appeals Programme
Asian Human Rights Commission (ua@ahrchk.org)
