BANGLADESH: An alleged brutal assault of four persons by the Meherpur Sadar police

Dear friends,

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from a reliable source regarding the alleged brutal torture of four persons by the Meherpur Sadar police in Meherpur district, Bangladesh on 19 June 2007. Three among the four victims are from the same family, while the fourth person is their neighbor who was assaulted by the police when she attempted to rescue them. One victim in particular was grievously injured on his face and his hand was broken due to the torture. However, Meherpur Sadar police maintain their version that they did not torture anyone and the victims were injured “in the absence of their mind”, while attempting to escape from the arrest.  As far as we have confirmed, no serious action has yet been taken to investigate the incident and arrest the alleged perpetrators and the higher local authorities are reluctant to take action in this case.

CASE DETAILS (based on the testimony of the victims):

At around 2am on 19 June 2007, 5 policemen led by Sub Inspector (SI) Rejaul Haque from the Meherpur Sada police station came to the house of a 28 year old young man Mr. Julfiker Ali, which is located in Amjhupee Kuthipa village, Meherpur district, Bangladesh. At that time, Mr. Julfiker Ali and his parents, Mr. Golam Rasul, aged 50, and Mrs. Hasina Khatun, aged 45, were sleeping. After entering the house, the policemen allegedly began to brutally assault Mr. Julfiker Ali, accusing him of being a criminal.

Upon hearing their son’s cry, Mr. Golam Rasul and Mrs. Hasina Khatun awoke up, came out from their room and saw that his son was being severely beaten by the police. Mr. Golam Rasul says that when he asked the police why they were beating his son, SI Rejaul Haque allegedly slapped his faced and the policemen proceeded to beat him and his wife with batons. Due to the severe assault, Mr. Golam Rasul was grievously injured about the face and one hand was broken (See his photo: Photo 1, Photo 2 and Photo 3). He begged the policemen holding them legs not to torture them but they intensified beating him, his wife and son. Mr. Golam Rasul’s wife Mrs. Hasina Begum was kicked and beaten all over her body by the police with batons.

Meanwhile, one neighbor Ms. Nasira Begum who works for a local human rights organization, came to the scene after hearing the cries of the victims. She tried to intervene to stop the beating and told SI Rejaul Haque that the police had no right to beat anybody. Then SI Rejaul allegedly abused her filthy language and beat her with a baton and continued to assault her.

Some other neighbors including Md. Sipai, Ichhaque, Md. Mina Jage and Ajijul Haque reached the scene and attempted to stop the beating. However, they could not do this due to the frightening atmosphere because SI Rezaul allegedly threatened them they would also be beaten.

After the beating, the police took Mr. Julfiker Ali into their custody and later produced him before the court under the murder case numbered 12 of 2007 under section of 302/34 of the Bangladesh Penal Code. After the policemen left the scene, Mr. Golam Rasul, Mrs. Hasina Begum and Ms. Nasira Begum were then immediately admitted to the nearby Bakul Health Clinic where Mr. Golam Rasul received 12 stitches for the wound on his face.

Meanwhile, when he was reached by a local human rights organization, SI Rezaul Islam, one of the alleged perpetrators, denied torturing the victims and claimed that they were injured “in the absence of their mind”, while attempting to escape when the police came to arrest Mr. Julfiker Ali.

Mr. Golam Morshed, Officer-in-Charge (OC) of the Meherpur Sadar police station confirmed SI Rezaul Islam’s version. Without showing any intention to investigate the incident, the OC simply said that at the time of arrest of the alleged criminals, the police usually beat them “a little bit” and he would take step to prevent the police from torturing anyone in the future.

Md. Abdur Razzak, the Superintendent of Police (SP) of Meherpur district was also reluctant to take action in this incident. He reportedly told that if the incident “had not been published in the local newspaper” and if he “had come to know it by application”, he would have taken administrative action against the alleged perpetrators. Without initiating any inquiry to proceed legal action against the alleged perpetrators, the SP merely said that if the victims come to meet him, he would take the proper steps in this regard.

Major Ramidul Islam, who is in charge of the army camp stationed at Meherpur district also reportedly said that he was aware of the incident and would take “administrative action” as soon as possible after discussing the matter with the deputy commissioner, the SP of Meherpur district and the Upazila administrator.

However, no serious action has yet been taken to investigate the incident and arrest the alleged perpetrators. In fact, the negligence of the higher authorities on torture incidents allows the continuance of such brutal practice by the police in the country.

In the meantime, Mr. Julfiker Ali’s parents insist that the Meherpur Sadar police arrested their son without having any specific allegation against him and that the police implicated him with a false case.

The AHRC is deeply concerned by this case. The international human rights laws clearly state that no person, regardless of whether he or she is a criminal or not, should be subjected to torture by law enforcement officers under any circumstances. However, it is well known that torture is endemic in police stations in Bangladesh and the Bangladesh government has failed to take genuine action to eliminate such brutal practice by the police despite its treaty obligation under the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT), to which it has been a state party since October 1998.

The AHRC therefore strongly urges the Bangladesh authorities to immediately conduct an impartial and proper inquiry into this case and take proper departmental and legal action against the accused police officers as soon as possible. An inquiry should also be conducted into the alleged fabrication of charges against Mr. Julfiker Ali and if found true, he should be immediately released. The victims should be given adequate medical assistance as well as compensation.

SUGGESTED ACTION:
Please immediately write to the relevant local authorities listed below and express your concern about this serious case. Please urge them to promptly inquire this case and bring the alleged perpetrators to justice without delay. For your information, the AHRC has already written to Prof. Manfred Nowak, the U.N. Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment and called for his urgent intervention into this case.

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