Dear friends,
The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information regarding the alleged repeated rape of a 12-year-old girl by a traffic police constable in Dhaka between 7 and 15 April 2006. The traffic police constable falsely assured the girl that he would help her to reach home. However, the police constable took the girl to his house and repeatedly raped her over nine days. Local people and a women’s organisation finally rescued the girl from the policeman’s house. A case (No. 25) was filed against the alleged perpetrator with the Shabuzbagh police station in Dhaka on April 19. The Dhaka Metropolitan Police authority admitted that the allegation of rape was proved. The alleged perpetrator was suspended from his duty, but has not yet been arrested in connection with the case.
A 12 year-old-girl, whose name we withhold, went to Dhaka from Mymensingh along with her maternal uncle in January 2006 in order to join a businessman’s house as a maid servant. She was sent to Mr. Tajul Islam’s house at Islampur under the Kotwali police station in Dhaka. The family members of Mr. Tajul Islam used to beat the girl regularly. Unable to further tolerate the beatings by Mr. Tajul’s family, the girl fled from the house on 7 April 2006. After losing her direction the girl began crying beside the road within the Jatrabari area in Dhaka. Traffic police constable Md. Azadul Islam (no. 19507), came to her and asked why she was crying. Having been informed about the history of the girl he then took her to his rented house at 29/2 East Bashabo (near Kadamtala school) under the Shabuzbagh police station in Dhaka.
On April 15, Azadul’s neighbours learned that the girl had stopped eating her food and was regularly crying. They came to Azadul’s house and learned that the policeman had reportedly raped the victim several times during her stay in the house. She complained to Azadul’s wife, who also threatened her not tell this fact to anybody, saying she would be punished if she did so. The neighbours then informed the local leaders of the Mahila Parishad (Women’s Council) to take up the case. The Mahila Parishad area committee rescued the girl from the policeman’s house, and took her to the Shabuzbagh police station. The Mahila Parishad leaders lodged a case (No. 25) with the Shabuzbagh police on April 19. After receiving medical treatment at the One-stop Crisis Centre (OCC) of the Dhaka Medical College Hospital, the girl is now being sheltered in a safe house with the help of others.
The Officer-in-Charge (OC) of the Shabuzbagh police station, Mr. Mohammad Shafik, admitted that the girl was raped by Azadul, who has been absconding since the incident. The Deputy Commissioner (DC) for the East Zone of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) stated that Azadul Islam is (temporarily) suspended and would be arrested as soon as he is found.
SUGGESTED ACTION:
Please send letters to the Inspector General of Police and the other persons listed below expressing your concerns about the alleged repeated rape of a 12-year-old girl by a traffic police constable in Bangladesh. The concerned government agencies must be urged to initiate a thorough and impartial investigation into this case. The perpetrators must be brought to justice, and adequate medical treatment and reparation must be provided to the victim.
To support this case, please click here: SEND APPEAL LETTER
SAMPLE LETTER
Dear ______________,
BANGLADESH: Twelve-year-old girl repeatedly raped and held hostage by traffic police constable in Dhaka
Name of the victim: Name withheld, 12-year-old, living in Ragobpur village, P.O. Kachari Bazar, under Kotwali police station in Mymensingh district.
Name of alleged perpetrator: Md. Azadul Islam, traffic police constable (no. 19507) of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP), living in 29/2 East Basabo, under the Shabuzbagh police station in Dhaka
Date of incident: Between 7 and 15 April 2006
Place of incident: The house of the alleged perpetrator at 29/2 East Basabo, under the Shabuzbagh police station in Dhaka
I am writing to express my deep shock regarding the alleged repeated rape of a 12-year-old girl by a traffic police constable in Dhaka, who detained the victim in his house for nine days.
According to the information I have received the12-year-old girl was appointed as a maid servant in the house of businessman, Mr. Tajul Islam, at Islampur in Dhaka, in January 2006. Due to the intolerable torture inflicted on her in that house, the victim fled from there to go back to her home in Mymensingh on 7 April. Having been confused about the direction to take she soon became lost and began crying beside the road within the Jatrabari area in Dhaka. Traffic police constable Mr. Md. Azadul Islam (No. 19507) soon came across the victim and assured her that he would help her and took her to his house.
On April 15, Azadul's neighbours noticed that the victim was crying and had stopped eating. They then informed the local leaders of the Mahila Parishad, who rescued the girl from the policeman's house, and lodged a case (No. 25) against the alleged perpetrator with the Shabuzbagh police station on April 19. The girl received medical treatment at the One-stop Crisis Centre (OCC) of the Dhaka Medical College Hospital. The Shabuzbagh police and the Deputy Commissioner (East Zone) admitted the allegation was true.
I have been informed that the alleged perpetrator is absconding and was suspended from his duty. I am aware, however, that the alleged perpetrator has not been arrested or permanently suspended from his job.
As I am sure you are no doubt aware, this is not the first case of rape of a minor girl by a Bangladeshi law enforcement personnel. Thus, this recent case is yet another violation of women and children in Bangladesh by the very people who are employed to protect them.
I urge your strong intervention to ensure that the victim is afforded adequate medical assistance and treatment for the trauma she has suffered. She must also be given compensation and appropriate protection while the case is going on.
I further urge you to ensure that the alleged perpetrator is charged without further delay and that a speedy disposition of the victims case is carried out in court. I likewise urge that the Government of Bangladesh take effective steps to prevent such violence against children from reoccurring.
I trust that you will take immediate action on this case.
Yours sincerely,
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PLEASE SEND YOUR LETTERS TO:
1. Mr. Sayed J. R. Mudassir Husain
The Chief Justice
The Supreme Court of Bangladesh
Supreme Court Building
Ramna, Dhaka-1000
BANGLADESH
Tel: +88-02-9562792
Fax: +88-02-9565058
2. 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
3. Mr. Md. Lutfozzaman Babor MP
State Minister
The Ministry of Home Affairs
Government of the Peoples Republic of Bangladesh
Bangladesh Secretariat
Dhaka-1000
BANGLADESH
Tel: +88-02-7169069 (O)/ +88-02-8359000 (R)
Fax: +88-02-7160405/ +88-02-7164788 (O)
4. Mr. Abdul Quayum
Inspector General of Police (IGP)
Bangladesh Police
Police Headquarters
Fulbaria, Dhaka-1000
BANGLADESH
Tel: +88-02-9562054(O)/ +88-02-7176451/ +88-02-7176677
Fax: +88-02-9563362 (O)/ +88-02-9563363
5. Mr. SM Mizanur Rahman
Commissioner
Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP)
DMP Headquarters
1, Shaheed Captain Monsur Ali Road
Ramna, Dhaka-1000
BANGLADESH
Tel: +88-02-8322746 (O)/ +88-02- 8316248
Fax: +88-02-8322746 (O)
6. Mr. Jalal Ahmed
Chief Metropolitan Magistrate
Metropolitan Magistrate Court of Dhaka
Dhaka-1100
BANGLADESH
Tel: +88 02 7173707 (O)
Fax: +88 02 7114470 (On request to the Office of ADC Prosecution)
7. Mr. Louis-Georges Arsenault
Country Representative
UNICEF
P.O. Box 58 Dhaka - 1000
BANGLADESH
Tel: +880 2 9336701 to 6720
Fax: +880 2 9335641/ +880 2 9335642
E-mail: Dhaka@unicef.org
8. Mr. Jacob Egbert Doek
Chairperson
Committee on the Rights of the Child
OHCHR-UNOG
1211 Geneva 10
SWITZERLAND
Fax: +41 22 917 9022
9. Ms. Yakin Erturk
Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women
c/o Ms. Vernonica Birga
Room 3-042
c/o OHCHR-UNOG
1211 Geneva 10
SWITZERLAND
Tel: +41 22 917 9615
Fax: +41 22 917 9006 (Attn: Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women)
Email: lohanlon@ohchr.org
Thank you.
Urgent Appeals Programme
Asian Human Rights Commission (ahrchk@ahrchk.org)
