Odhikar secretary Adilur Rahman detained by DB

[idune]

Odhikar secretary Adilur Rahman detained by DB

Dhaka: Detective Brach of Dhaka Metropolitan Police on Saturday night detained human rights activist and secretary of Odhikar Adilur Rahman Khan from his residence in the capital city.

Former deputy attorney general Adilur Rahman was detained by DB police from in front of his Gulshan 1 residence in the capital at about 10:00pm, said Odhikar sources.

He was detained in a case filed under Information Technology Act, said Gulshan police sources.

Police and different intelligence agencies of the government have been harassing the human rights activist, Adilur Rahman, for making public reports of different human rights violations in the hands of the law enforcers and ruling party activists in the last five years.

The Awami League led government was specially annoyed at Odhikar for its very critical report on the mass killing of Hefazat men by the law enforcers and ruling Awami League activists and also killing of Jamaat men in political violence centring war crimes verdict and subsequent protests in different parts of the country.

Main opposition BNP on Saturday night protested the arrest of human rights activist Adilur Rahman and demanded his immediate release.

In recent times International human rights organisations had expressed deep concern over harassment on right organisation Odhikar and its secretary Adilur Rahman Khan and other members and called on the Bangladesh government for immediate stoppage of such harassment.

The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (Forum-Asia), a membership-based regional human rights organisation recently and the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) had sent open letters to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina expressing their deep concern over the continued harassment on Odhikar and Adilur by national security agencies.

In the letters, the international rights organisations said that National Security Intelligence members reportedly resumed their activities of close surveillance on Odhikar and its members, in particular Adilur, also member of OMCT general assembly.

The intelligence men also visited Odhikar office in Dhaka and asked questions to one of the employees about Adilur’s family and his daily schedule and they were under constant watch by security agencies.

Odhikar secretary Adilur Rahman detained by DB

 

[idune]

Awami League not only trying to destroy evidence of genocide it committed but also doing indian bidding because Odhikar was the only HR organization documented and published regular report on BSF killing of Bangladeshis.

http://www.odhikar.org/Upload statistics/Border.pdf

BSF kills 28 in 9 months : Odhikar

31 Bangladeshis killed by BSF last year | Priyo News

 

[Allah Akbar]

well done db

 

[CaPtAiN_pLaNeT]

The arrested person one of the primary source who spreaded the fake news and hoax that hundreds of hefazat activists were died at the night of May 5th which he claimed he got it based on investigation. Initially Odhikar reported the killing of 61 hefazat activists.

Based on this Information Ministry asked to provide the detail of those people who dies at that night including their address, father and mothers name so that authenticity of the report can be verified. So far he failed to provide any info for that. Not only that government mentioned that even the Jamati sided news paper like Daily Naya Diganta, Daily Inquilab, Daily Sangram did not report more then 16 people died at that night.

This is the copy of the letter which was sent to him!!

 

[scholseys]

awami league is so screwed

 

[PlanetSoldier]

The arrested person one of the primary source who spreaded the fake news and hoax that hundreds of hefazat activists were died at the night of May 5th which he claimed he got it based on investigation. Initially Odhikar reported the killing of 61 hefazat activists.

Based on this Information Ministry asked to provide the detail of those people who dies at that night including their address, father and mothers name so that authenticity of the report can be verified. So far he failed to provide any info for that. Not only that government mentioned that even the Jamati sided news paper like Daily Naya Diganta, Daily Inquilab, Daily Sangram did not report more then 16 people died at that night.

This is the copy of the letter which was sent to him!!

The outcry there is not by Odhikar only, intl human right organizations are also claiming this. In such cases govt. has to form a neutral body to investigate the fact. Did our govt. follow that? Why don't they arrest intl human right organizations officials? Doesn't it prove our govt. has weakness?

 

[animelive]

bye bye law

 

[Mattrixx]

That is a great move. I was so depressed with our law enforcement, that they are so impotent that
they cant deal a matter strongly. But Im happy that they prove me wrong sometimes. Anyone who
makes conspiracy to the country should be punished severely.

 

[TopCat]

The arrested person one of the primary source who spreaded the fake news and hoax that hundreds of hefazat activists were died at the night of May 5th which he claimed he got it based on investigation. Initially Odhikar reported the killing of 61 hefazat activists.

Based on this Information Ministry asked to provide the detail of those people who dies at that night including their address, father and mothers name so that authenticity of the report can be verified. So far he failed to provide any info for that. Not only that government mentioned that even the Jamati sided news paper like Daily Naya Diganta, Daily Inquilab, Daily Sangram did not report more then 16 people died at that night.

This is the copy of the letter which was sent to him!!

Odhikar replied government that they will disclose the names to the Judicial Inquiry not to the ministry concerning safety of the victim's family. I believe, that is appropriate. When govt conduct a operation in the dead of the night and hided dead bodies, its everybody's right to invent conspiracy theories and any number (100 or 1000s) are valid number to me.

 

[saleen_s7]

That is a great move. I was so depressed with our law enforcement, that they are so impotent that
they cant deal a matter strongly. But Im happy that they prove me wrong sometimes. Anyone who
makes conspiracy to the country should be punished severely.

Even most of the top AL leader behind closed doors have condemned this. I don't understand how can any sane person support the govt on this measure which is nothing short of fascism. Odhikar is a very serious human rights organisation and has credibility. The number Odhikar has claimed is 61 and not in thousands. Whatever the number is, the fact that government is now targeting journalists prove that it has something to hide and there is serous doubt that the figure maybe more than 61. Regardless, the government seems paranoid with the elections coming up. Arresting human rights activists, illegally occupying billboards, killing their own leaders in broad day light and plenty more.
I am however disappointed on BNP because they are not doing enough to highlight the failures of this govt where they can gain political mileage. It is a good chance to make clear of their election objectives if they come in power. They are too busy playing the tareque rahman card, a plan which will most probably backfire.

 

[idune]

Bangladesh: Free Prominent Rights Activist
Concerns for Critic’s Safety, Growing Intolerance of Criticism

The arrest of Adil Khan appears to be an attempt to silence one of the Bangladeshi government’s most vocal critics prior to national elections. The Awami League government should not respond to its low public approval ratings by making a mockery of its claims to respect the free speech rights of everyone.

- Brad Adams, Asia director

(New York) – Bangladeshi authorities should immediately release prominent rights activist Adilur Rahman Khan, who was arrested without warrant at his Dhaka home late on August 10, 2013, Human Rights Watch said today. Bangladesh’s donors should press the government to release Khan and end the harassment of human rights defenders and other critics of the government.

Khan, a lawyer and director of Odhikar, one of Bangladesh’s leading human rights organizations, was arrested in front of his family by approximately 10 plainclothes members of the Detective Branch. At a hearing on August 11, the court denied bail for Khan without showing that he was a flight risk, and ordered Khan to be held for five days before the next hearing. Khan has long expressed concern that he would be arrested for political reasons, but said that he wanted to stay in the country to do his work despite the risks.

Human Rights Watch called for Khan to have regular access to counsel while in custody. Khan was not allowed to speak to lawyers before the August 11 hearing.

“The arrest of Adil Khan appears to be an attempt to silence one of the Bangladeshi government’s most vocal critics prior to national elections,” said Brad Adams, Asia director. “The Awami League government should not respond to its low public approval ratings by making a mockery of its claims to respect the free speech rights of everyone.”

According to Odhikar, police records state that Khan was arrested under section 54 of the Code of Criminal Procedure and section 57 of the Information and Communication Technology Act, for allegedly falsely reporting information about human rights abuses by government security forces during mass demonstrations by the Islamist Hefazat-e-Islami movement in Dhaka on May 5 and 6. Police raided Odhikar’s offices on the night of August 11, seizing computers.

An August Human Rights Watch report, Blood on the Streets: The Use of Excessive Force During Bangladesh Protests found that the security forces on May 5 and 6 used excessive force against protesters. While some police efforts at dispersing crowds appeared to adhere to international standards, the police also used unlawful force, leaving at least 50 dead and more than 2,000 injured. The government has not responded to letters sent by Human Rights Watch regarding these events.

“If the government believes that Khan has made errors in his reporting of the May violence, it should have the courage to debate him in public instead of throwing him in jail,” Adams said.

Khan may be in danger of torture and other ill-treatment from the authorities. Human Rights Watch and others, including Odhikar, have documented extensive use of torture by the Bangladeshi security forces, including the Detective Branch. Human Rights Watch is not aware of any attempts by the government to hold members of its security forces accountable for torture, despite repeated commitments to do so, including to the United Nations Human Rights Council.

“Khan’s prominence suggests that the decision to arrest him was approved at the highest levels,” Adams said. “Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina should publicly and personally ensure that Khan does not suffer any abuse while in detention.”

Bangladesh: Free Prominent Rights Activist | Human Rights Watch

 

[CaPtAiN_pLaNeT]

Odhikar replied government that they will disclose the names to the Judicial Inquiry not to the ministry concerning safety of the victim's family. I believe, that is appropriate. When govt conduct a operation in the dead of the night and hided dead bodies, its everybody's right to invent conspiracy theories and any number (100 or 1000s) are valid number to me.

Contrary to your claim if any thing happen to the victim's family it is the government who will be blamed first. So no sensible government will target the families whose name will be disclosed. What government is to gain by targeting the family members if really their family member died!!! All the opposition and journalists also will keep an eye on the families to see whether any one is attacked or not. 100 to 1000 is too high a figure to believe. Can you show any picture or video footage which shows these large number of dead. All the media and people those who live there also taken photograph and made video there. But no such video is ever found.

Lastly even hefazat was doing a survey also how many died on the incident. They also failed to come up with any credible answer. You cant deny the fact that an interested group was actively looking for dead bodies even penetrated into the hefazat gathering to create violence and made a rumor like 2500-eve 25000 people died and their bodies were taken in a truck and displayed fake pictures of other incident!!

 

[CaPtAiN_pLaNeT]

Even most of the top AL leader behind closed doors have condemned this. I don't understand how can any sane person support the govt on this measure which is nothing short of fascism. Odhikar is a very serious human rights organisation and has credibility. The number Odhikar has claimed is 61 and not in thousands. Whatever the number is, the fact that government is now targeting journalists prove that it has something to hide and there is serous doubt that the figure maybe more than 61. Regardless, the government seems paranoid with the elections coming up. Arresting human rights activists, illegally occupying billboards, killing their own leaders in broad day light and plenty more.
I am however disappointed on BNP because they are not doing enough to highlight the failures of this govt where they can gain political mileage. It is a good chance to make clear of their election objectives if they come in power. They are too busy playing the tareque rahman card, a plan which will most probably backfire.

The whole scene changed after 3 PM of May 5th when Khaleda zia personally contacted the Shafi hujur and threatened to utilize it to force the government to collapse. There is report that on the next day around 1 million BNP and Jamaat activists were planning to join them and they will also take over different Secretariats as well. Khaleda Zia was also assured that one group of army will break away and will come out of Cantonment to support this and this will cause the government to fall. She also gave 48 hour ultimatum on the basis of this. Only after that government decided to take hard line approach after the 8 pm meeting and their decided under any cost Shapla Chattar needs to be evacuated by that night and notified DMP. Then DMP, BGB and RAB started to prepare the plan of evacuation from 10 pm and went into the ground by 12 AM.

They asked the Hefazat activists to leave the place voluntarily and peacefully but some radicals from the mike started asking people to target the law enforcement agencies and they mostly Jamatis within the Hefazat has gone for the clash and started throwing stone to them!! Only at that point they went into action but they did not use any bullet.

Lastly Hefazat came to the place saying they will evacuate it by 5 pm instead they went into the path of violence. BNP and Jamaat also plays a big role behind the scene. If you want to blame Government for this more you need to blame the BNP and Jamaat for utilizing these madrasah students for their own gain!!!

I am busy for this week if more discussion is required I will be back next week.

 

[TopCat]

Contrary to your claim if any thing happen to the victim's family it is the government who will be blamed first. So no sensible government will target the families whose name will be disclosed. What government is to gain by targeting the family members if really their family member died!!! All the opposition and journalists also will keep an eye on the families to see whether any one is attacked or not. 100 to 1000 is too high a figure to believe. Can you show any picture or video footage which shows these large number of dead. All the media and people those who live there also taken photograph and made video there. But no such video is ever found.

Lastly even hefazat was doing a survey also how many died on the incident. They also failed to come up with any credible answer. You cant deny the fact that an interested group was actively looking for dead bodies even penetrated into the hefazat gathering to create violence and made a rumor like 2500-eve 25000 people died and their bodies were taken in a truck and displayed fake pictures of other incident!!

You have no idea how detective branch people as well as their party cadres are haunting those hafazat people. Only few days ago they suspended 54 Union Parishad chairman. Even I myself is very careful in writing anything on the net now a days.

Government did not disclose any of the dead bodies which government admitted getting killed, neither they released photographs nor they preserve any DNA samples of the dead bodies. They even did not disclose the location of the graveyard where they were buried. Now you tell me why govt needed to hide anything if they were that honest.

This arrest is nothing but a political vengeance against a director of a very respectable human rights NGO. Odhikar made a huge stride in border killing and repatriation of girls who were smuggled in India.

 

[Zabaniyah]

Okay...

How about arresting the likes of Shariar Kabir and Shantu Larma? Totalitarianism at its best

Odhikar replied government that they will disclose the names to the Judicial Inquiry not to the ministry concerning safety of the victim's family. I believe, that is appropriate. When govt conduct a operation in the dead of the night and hided dead bodies, its everybody's right to invent conspiracy theories and any number (100 or 1000s) are valid number to me.

Well, nobody really knows the number of dead for certain. But killing over 3000 is difficult even in a video game over such a short period of time.

However, the government did try to hide the exact figures of dead Hefajotis. Not to mention banning at least two media outlets.

This sort of fear implies weakness. They are simply not fit to rule. Ever see those stolen billboards?

The Awami League will merely become victims of their own stupidity in the end.