Dear friends,
The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has been informed that the Bishwanath police in Sylhet district have deprived three victims, including an immigrant couple from the UK, from seeking justice by submitting a false investigation report. The Investigation Officer has allegedly taken bribes from the alleged perpetrators and submitted a final report to the Court, instead of a charge sheet for the crime. This is despite proof of the crime with the seizing of weapons left by the alleged perpetrators at the crime scene, and with the injuries suffered to three persons, who were admitted to the Sylhet Osmani Medical College Hospital.
Mr. Abul Bashar, who is from Sunamganj district and is an immigrant in the United Kingdom, had a land dispute with his cousins. As a result of the dispute, on 4 January 2006, Mr. Abul Bashar, went to visit his home country Bangladesh along with his wife and children. He was supposed to return to the UK on February 6. However, on February 4, at around 7:30 pm, a group of seven people came to the house where Abul Bashar was staying with his family with different types of weapons. The armed gang attacked Abul Bashar, his wife and Mr. Abul Kalam (Mr. Bashars brother-in-law) with sharp knives, causing serious injuries. Abul Bashar and his wife were admitted to the Sylhet Osmani Medical College Hospital after having received first aid at a local private clinic. Immediately after the incident the Bishwanath police came to the crime scene and seized two long knives that the attackers left following the attack. The attack, it is believed, was directly related to the land dispute.
On February 5, Mr. Abul Kalam lodged a case against the alleged perpetrators with the Bishwanath police station. The Investigating Officer (IO) of the case, Sub Inspector (SI) Thengu Saha, surprisingly submitted a final report to the Magistrate Court instead of a charge sheet. On April 5, SI Thengu, in front of the fact-finding team, threatened the complainant that he would implicate him with fabricated charges for possessing illegal arms when he asked the IO about the reason for giving the final report on his case despite the seizure of weapons and injuries to the three persons. The complainant alleges that the IO has taken bribes of around Taka 50,000.00 from the alleged perpetrators.
Meanwhile, the alleged perpetrators admitted to the fact-finding team that they have been able to manipulate the police by paying them a bribe through one of their relatives. Consequently, they have not been held accountable for their alleged crimes. They also offered bribes to the fact-finding team.
SUGGESTED ACTION:
Please send a letter immediately to the Inspector General of Police and the other persons listed below expressing your concern about the action of the police urging them to take prompt action to investigate the conduct of the police to ensure that justice is attained for the victims. Please ask them to withdraw the fabricated final report regarding the case. Please also urge them to arrange appropriate protection for the complainant of the case and highlight that necessary compensation must be afforded to the victim.
To support this case, please click here: SEND APPEAL LETTER
SAMPLE LETTER
Dear _______________
BANGLADESH: Police submit a falsified investigation report after being bribed by the alleged perpetrators
Name of victims:
1. Mr. Abul Bashar, hailed from Bashantapur village under Chhatok police station in Sunamganj district, living in 27 Normanton Terrace, Elswick, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE4 6PP, United Kingdom
2. Mrs. Abul Bashar, hailed from Bashantapur village under Chhatok police station in Sunamganj district, living in 27 Normanton Terrace, Elswick, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE4 6PP, United Kingdom
3. Mr. Abul Kalam, living in Shekergaon village under Bishwanath police station in Sylhet district
Name of alleged perpetrators:
1. Mr. Thengu Saha, Sub Inspector (SI) of Bishwanath police station in Sylhet district
2. Mr. Taris Ali, son of the late Mr. Nasib Ullah, living in Bashantapur village under Chhatok police station in Sunamganj district
3. Mr. Rais Ali, son of the late Mr. Nasib Ullah, living in Bashantapur village under Chhatok police station in Sunamganj district
4. Mr. Shuhel Mian, son of Mr. Rais Ali, living in Bashantapur village under Chhatok police station in Sunamganj district
5. Four others living in the same area.
Date of incident: 4 February 2006
Place of incident: The house of Mr. Abul Kalam at Shekergaon village under Bishwanath police station in Sylhet district, Bangladesh
I am writing to bring to your attention the alleged submission of a false investigation report and the taking of bribes by the Bishwanath police under the Sylhet district.
According to the information I have received, a group of seven persons attacked a couple from the United Kingdom who were visiting their home in Sylhet district. The alleged attackers struck Abul Bashar, his wife and Mr. Abul Kalam (Mr. Bashar's brother-in-law) with sharp knives. Subsequently, the victims received serious injuries to their bodies. When the neighbours rushed to the spot to help the victims following the outcry the attackers fled leaving two knives that were used by them during the attack. The Bishwanath police recovered the weapons from the crime scene. Mr. Abul Kalam lodged a case against the seven alleged attackers with the Bishwanath police station. The attack is believed to have followed a land dispute between Mr. Bashar and his cousins.
I have been informed that the Investigation Officer (IO) of the case, Sub Inspector (SI) Thengu Saha has submitted a final report, which asserts that the incident did not occur, instead of a charge sheet. This is despite the police recovering two knives at the crime scene and being aware of the injuries the victims sustained. I have learned that the IO has allegedly taken bribes of around Taka 50,000.00 from the alleged perpetrators. I am also aware that the IO threatened the complainant not to pursue this case saying that he would implicate him in a false case if he did so. The complainant is living in fear of his security due to the threat and intimidation by the police.
In light of this, I request that you ensure a fair and thorough investigation into the alleged conduct of 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.
Such action by the police is common practice in many parts of Bangladesh. This reflects the lack of training many government and police officers have in terms of commanding and investigation skills, and the excessive powers they wield and abuse.
Therefore, I urge the government officials in Bangladesh to consider reforming their current law enforcement system by introducing better training programmes for the police and other 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 YOUR LETTERS TO:
1. 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
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. 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
4. 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
5. 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
6. Mr. Anwar Chowdhury
High Commissioner
British High Commission
United Nations Road
Baridhara
Dhaka-1212
BANGLADESH
Tel:+88 02 8822705
Fax: +88 02 8823437
7. Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police Sylhet Range
Office of the DIG Sylhet Range
Bandar Bazar, Sylhet
BANGLADESH
Tel: +88 0821 841181
Fax: +88 0821 840080
Thank you.
Urgent Appeal Programme
Asian Human Rights Commission (ahrchk@ahrchk.org)
