Dear Friends,
The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that the Dhaka police shot tear shells at protesting university students, blinding one student as a result. On 20 July 2017, 23-year-old Md. Siddiqur Rahman, a third year Honours student was protesting against the lack of exam schedules by the University of Dhaka, after their colleges were affiliated with the university in February. The police shot tear shells and charged at the students with batons, severely injuring Siddiqur’s eyes. While doctors are not optimistic that Siddiqur can regain his vision, police authorities have taken no action against the responsible officers.
CASE NARRATIVE:
Mr. Md. Siddiqur Rahman, 23, is a third year Honours student of Political Science at Titumir College of Dhaka. Siddiqur is from Dhakerkanda village, Mymensingh district.
For the last 25 years, Titumir College has been affiliated under the National University of Bangladesh. In mid-February 2017, the government changed the affiliation for seven collages, including the Titumir College, to the University of Dhaka. Since the announcement of the new academic arrangements in mid-February 2017, the University of Dhaka allegedly did not finalise the exam dates for students of the seven colleges, citing the lack of appropriate cooperation from the National University. The impasse caused uncertainty of the academic career of tens of thousands of students, who were afraid they would fall behind others in the race of securing jobs in their desired sectors.
Students from the seven colleges decided to take to the streets to fulfill their seven point demands, including specific schedules for their exams from the University of Dhaka. On July 20, several hundred students gathered at the Shahbagh Square to save their academic career. They blocked the roads, causing traffic congestions in the adjoining areas.
The Dhaka Metropolitan Police deployed police to the protest area. The police insisted the protestors to lift the road blockade, which the students refused. Then, the police charged them with batons and shot tear shells. One of the tear shells hit the right eye of Md. Siddiqur Rahman. Fellow protestors took him to hospital with serious injuries in his eyes. At the National Institute for Ophthalmology, the doctors treating Siddiqur are not optimistic about the possibility of regaining vision in his right eye. His left eye has also been seriously affected by the tear shell and has the risk of losing vision.
The Dhaka Metropolitan Police authorities have not taken action against any police personnel since the shooting of tear shells and pointing guns toward the body of the students, in violation of the standard norms of using firearms. Instead, the police arrested at least 12 protestors and detained them. The police have also filed a case with the Shahbagh police station against 1200 unidentified students.
SUGGESTED ACTION:
Please write to the Bangladeshi authorities requesting them to form a judicial commission with full mandate to probe this case. The excessive use of police power against unarmed protestors must be investigated and the officers involved must be prosecuted.
The AHRC has already submitted a communication to the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment calling for their intervention in this matter.
To support this case, please click here: SEND APPEAL LETTER
SAMPLE LETTER
Dear ……………….,
BANGLADESH: Police shot tear shell blinding Dhaka student
Name of victim: Md. Siddiqur Rahman (Aged 23), student of Honours Graduation Course in Political Science at Titumir College of Dhaka, hailed from Dhakerkanda village under Tarakanda police station under Mymensingh district
Alleged perpetrators: Dhaka Metropolitan Police deployed at Shahbagh area under the jurisdiction of Shahbagh police station in Dhaka
Date of incident: 20 July 2017
Place of incident: Shahbagh area, in the University of Dhaka.
I am writing to express my serious concern regarding the police shooting of a tear shell at a university student’s eye, resulting in the loss of vision in both eyes.
According to the information received at the Asian Human Rights Commission, students from the seven colleges decided to take to the streets to fulfill their seven point demands, including specific schedules for their exams from the University of Dhaka. The university authority did not publish the exam schedules and academic syllabus and calendars for the students since the government changed the affiliation for seven collages, including the Titumir College, to the University of Dhaka. On July 20, several hundred students gathered at the Shahbagh Square to save their academic career. They blocked the roads, causing traffic congestions in the adjoining areas.
I have learned that the Dhaka Metropolitan Police deployed police to the protest area. The police insisted the protestors to lift the road blockade, which the students refused. Then, the police charged them with batons and shot tear shells. One of the tear shells hit the right eye of Md. Siddiqur Rahman. Fellow protestors took him to hospital with serious injuries in his eyes. At the National Institute for Ophthalmology, the doctors treating Siddiqur are not optimistic about the possibility of regaining vision in his right eye. His left eye has also been seriously affected by the tear shell and has the risk of losing vision.
Regrettably, the Dhaka Metropolitan Police authorities have not taken action against any police personnel since the shooting of tear shells and pointing guns toward the body of the students, in violation of the standard norms of using firearms. Instead, the police arrested at least 12 protestors and detained them. The police have also filed a case with the Shahbagh police station against 1200 unidentified students.
I therefore request you to ensure that the government provides adequate medical treatment to Siddiqur Rahman so that he does not lose vision in his eyes, as well as suitable compensation. Furthermore, please ensure that the perpetrators are prosecuted for their excessive use of force against unarmed students, under the Torture and Custodial Death (Prohibition) Act – 2013.
Yours Sincerely,
……………….
PLEASE SEND YOUR LETTERS TO:
1. Mr. Md. Abdul Hamid
President of People’s Republic of Bangladesh
President’s Office
Bangabhaban, Dhaka
BANGLADESH
Tel: +880 2 9568041-50
Fax: +88-02-9585502 (Secretary)
Email:president@bangabhaban.gov.bd
2. Mr. Surendra Kumar Sinha
Chief Justice of Bangladesh
Supreme Court of Bangladesh
Dhaka 1000
BANGLADESH
Fax: +880 2 956 5058 /+880 2 7161344
Tel: +880 2 956 2792
E-mail: chief@bdcom.com or supremec@bdcom.com
3. Chairperson
National Human Rights Commission
BTMC Bhaban (8th Floor)
7-9 Kazi Nazrul Islam Ave, Kawran Bazar
Dhaka-1215,BANGLADESH
Tel: +880 2 55013713
Fax: +880 2 55013725
E-mail: nhrc.bd@gmail.com
Thank you.
Urgent Appeals Programme
Asian Human Rights Commission (ua@ahrc.asia)
