Dear friends,
The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has been informed that ten students were beaten by soldiers of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB). The victims were demanding the punishment of some errant staff of the public transport system for charging extra bus fares to college students. When the students blocked the road that the bus was wishing to drive down, personnel from the RAB-6 arrived soon after and beat them. Five of the victims have been admitted to a local hospital to receive medical treatment for the injuries they have suffered.
The AHRC is calling upon you to write letters to the relevant authorities in Bangladesh, in particular the Director General of RAB and the Ministry of Home Affairs, urging them to take immediate disciplinary and legal action against the errant personnel of the RAB-6. The necessary reparations for the victims must also be met.
Urgent Appeals Programme
Asian Human Rights Commission
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DETAILED INFORMATION:
Name of the victims:
1. Rakibul Islam Rakib, General Secretary of Chitolmari Sher-E-Bangla Degree College Students Union
2. Aminul Islam, student of Chitolmari Sher-E-Bangla Degree College, Bagerhat
3. Ariful Islam, student of Chitolmari Sher-E-Bangla Degree College, Bagerhat
4. Rabiul Islam, student of Chitolmari Sher-E-Bangla Degree College, Bagerhat
5. Ruhul Amin, Chitolmari Sher-E-Bangla Degree College, Bagerhat
6. Shabuz, Student of Chitolmari Sher-E-Bangla Degree College, Bagerhat
7. Babu, student of Chitolmari Sher-E-Bangla Degree College, Bagerhat
8. Jamal Shiekh, student of Chitolmari Sher-E-Bangla Degree College, Bagerhat
9. Sekendar, student of Chitolmari Sher-E-Bangla Degree College, Bagerhat
(All living in Bagerhat district)
Name of the alleged perpetrators:
Soldiers of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) 6, Khulna
Date of incident: 24 January 2006
Place of incident: Bailey Bridge, Bagerhat- Chtolmari Road in Bagerhat district
Case Details:
On 24 January 2006, two college students were forcefully removed from a bus by its conductor following their refusal to pay extra fares. Learning the news the students of the Chitolmari Sher-E-Bangla Degree College blocked the Bagerhat-Chitolmari Road at the Bailey Bridge point. The students were demanding punishment of the errant staff of the bus by holding a demonstration at the place. The members of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB)-6 soon after arrived at the scene and proceeded to beat the students indiscriminately resulting in at least ten students, including the General Secretary of the Chitolmari Sher-E-Bangla Degree College Students Union, being injured; five of them are now hospitalised with serious wounds.
The students became agitated following the brutality by the RAB personnel. However, the principals of two colleges and the Chitolmari police controlled the situation. Additionally, police forces have been patrolling the area to stop any further deterioration of the situation.
Meanwhile, the authorities of the college and the Bus Owners Association have come together to discuss how best to avoid further such incidents. The officials of the RAB-6 denied their involvement with the beating despite the victims asserting that it could be proved through an impartial investigation.
SUGGESTED ACTION:
Please send a letter immediately to the Director General of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and the other persons below expressing your concern about the torture of the students urging them to take prompt action to investigate the conduct of the soldiers and to ensure that justice is attained for the victim.
To support this case, please click here: SEND APPEAL LETTER
SAMPLE LETTER
Dear _______________
BANGLADESH: Ten students beaten by the Rapid Action Battalion in Bagerhat
Name of the victims:
1. Rakibul Islam Rakib, General Secretary of Chitolmari Sher-E-Bangla Degree College Students Union
2. Aminul Islam, student of Chitolmari Sher-E-Bangla Degree College, Bagerhat
3. Ariful Islam, student of Chitolmari Sher-E-Bangla Degree College, Bagerhat
4. Rabiul Islam, student of Chitolmari Sher-E-Bangla Degree College, Bagerhat
5. Ruhul Amin, Chitolmari Sher-E-Bangla Degree College, Bagerhat
6. Shabuz, Student of Chitolmari Sher-E-Bangla Degree College, Bagerhat
7. Babu, student of Chitolmari Sher-E-Bangla Degree College, Bagerhat
8. Jamal Shiekh, student of Chitolmari Sher-E-Bangla Degree College, Bagerhat
9. Sekendar, student of Chitolmari Sher-E-Bangla Degree College, Bagerhat
(All living in Bagerhat district)
Name of the alleged perpetrators:
Soldiers of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) 6, Khulna
Date of incident: 24 January 2006
Place of incident: Bailey Bridge, Bagerhat- Chtolmari Road in Bagerhat district
I am writing to bring to your attention the alleged torture of ten students by soldiers of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB)- 6 in Bagerhat district in Bangladesh.
According to the information I have received, two college students were forced to get off a bus following a demand of extra fares to the passengers by its conductor. Protesting the incident the students of Chitolmari Sher-E-Bangla Degree College blocked the Bagerhat-Chitolmari Road at Bailey Bridge point demanding punishment of the errant bus conductor. A vehicle of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB)-6 soon after arrived at the scene as they passed along the road and proceeded to beat the students indiscriminately. At least ten students were wounded due to the beating. Five of them were admitted to the local hospital with serious wounds.
I have also been informed that the authority of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB)-6 denied their having involvement with this incident despite the victims claiming it would be proven true if investigated properly.
In light of this, I request that you ensure a fair and thorough investigation into the alleged conduct of the RAB personnel. 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, indicted under the prevailing domestic laws of Bangladesh.
The RAB authority must compensate the victims for the loss they have suffered, and arrange all necessary medical treatment for them. During the investigation of the concerned authorities protection must be afforded to the victims as well as the witnesses.
The repeated violations committed by the law enforcers in Bangladesh points to the urgent need for training for all law enforcement agents. Without this training heinous crimes committed by the very people who are supposed to uphold the rule of law will no doubt continue.
Therefore, I urge you and other government officials in Bangladesh to consider reforming your current law enforcement system by introducing better training programmes for the officers of the law enforcing agents and to make them more accountable for the abuses they have committed against ordinary citizens of Bangladesh.
I look forward to your urgent intervention in this matter.
Yours sincerely,
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PLEASE SEND LETTERS TO:
1. Mr. M A Aziz Sarkar
Director General (DG)
Rapid Action Battalion (RAB)
RAB Headquarter
Uttara, Dhaka
BANGLADESH
Tel: +88-02- 8961105 (O)
Fax: +88-02- 8962884 (O)
Cell: +88 011-816205, +88 011-818245, +88 0172993105
E-mail: rabhqbd@yahoo.com
2. 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
3. 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
4. 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
5. Mr. Sheikh Hemayat Uddin
Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Barisal Range
Office of the DIG of Police Barisal Range
Sadar Road, Barisal
BANGLADESH
Tel: +88-0431-63574 (O)
Fax: +88-0431-65150 (O)
6. Prof. Manfred Nowak
Special Rapporteur on the Question of Torture
Attn: Mr.Sarir 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
