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    Memorandum to the army backed Caretaker government of Bangladesh  9/12/2007
   

Memorandum to the army backed Caretaker government of Bangladesh Thursday, 6th September 2007
 
A rally organised by Probashi Nagarik Committee calls on the army backed interim Caretaker Government in Bangladesh to:
 
1)    Establish the due process of law in the context of an independent
Judiciary.
2)    Immediately free the teachers of Dhaka and Rajshahi University, students, political leaders and workers who have been unfairly or unnecessarily incarcerated.
3)    Take vigorous measures to hold the General election by January 2008 and ensure that the election is fair and free and immediately restore democratic rule in the country.
4)    Investigate and clamp down on all allegations of torture by law enforcing agencies, including the police, RAB and the military.
5)    Ensure that the human and civil rights of all Bangladeshi citizens are protected at all times.
6)    Take immediate steps to control the rise in prices of essential commodities and ensure that the economy of the country is not made subservient to the IMF/World Bank agenda.
7]    Free all detained persons against whom no charges have been framed as yet.
8]    Withdraw Emergency power Rules
9]    Try all detainees in the ordinary Courts of law. Not to frame charges against Sheikh Hasina, a former Prime Minister, University teachers Prof. Anwar Hossain, Prof.Haroon-or-Rashid Prof.Saydur Rahman Khan, Prof.Abdus Sobhan, Prof. Moloy Kumar Bhoumik, Prof Dulal Chandra Biswas, Prof. Selim Reza Newton, Prof. Abdullah-al-Mamun, students of all Universities and Colleges, and civilians in any special court.
10]   Release all 280,000 detainees, in various jails throughout the country
11]   Stop torture of detainees in army interrogation concentration camps
Convening Committee;  Tel; 0208 952 2155 .  0208 679 0519 .  07957297964

 
       
    Resolution on Bangladesh  9/11/2007
   

Resolution on Bangladesh

The European Parliament, September 6, 2007-09-08

 

Call No.1:

 

Is deeply concerned about the disproportionate response of the military and the police against the student protests which erupted in late August 2007 at Dhaka university; considers that the demonstrations were evidence of the unpopular political role played by the army; welcomes the fact that the curfew imposed in Dhaka and five other cities because of these protests has been lifted on 28 August 2007; calls for the immediate release of the persons who have been arrested subsequent to the students' and teachers' unrest, including the Shikkhok Samity's Anwar Hossain, Harun Ur Rashid, Saidur Rahman Khan and Abdus Sobhan;

 

Call No.5:

 

Regrets that the Caretaker government while making progress on tackling corruption, has been far less assertive on political reform; calls for a return to democracy and the lifting of the state of emergency in Bangladesh; calls in particular for the lifting of the ban on all political activity, in order to provide all parties and political organisations to prepare for open and fair elections, as accorded under the constitution;

  
       
    European Parliament - News - Press service  9/11/2007
   

BANGLADESH

In a resolution on Bangladesh, MEPs urge the Caretaker Government to act in accordance with the rule of law and to speed up the restoration of democracy.

Following the declaration of a state of emergency in Bangladesh on 11 January 2007 and the postponement of parliamentary elections scheduled for 22 January, after poll-related violence, the Caretaker Government, with the objective of ending corruption, introduced measures including a ban on all political activity and the detention or charging of over 160 political leaders - including three former prime ministers - and 100,000 civilians, says the EP resolution.

The EU Election Observation Mission suspended its operations on 22 January and the United Nations decided to withdraw their support for the electoral process on the same day. Bangladesh's longstanding tradition of secular democracy, including respect for human rights and especially women's rights, freedom of speech and religious tolerance, is increasingly under threat, believe MEPs. Condemnation of police violence, concern at arrests of political leaders The resolution therefore voices deep concern at the authorities' actions, including "the disproportionate response of the military and the police against the student protests which erupted in late August 2007 at Dhaka university".

Parliament is concerned about the arrest and justification for ongoing detention of Awami League president Sheikh Hasina and Bangladesh Nationalist Party president Khaleda Zia and about the case of Sigma Huda, who has been sentenced on bribery charges.

The EP urges the authorities to conduct the trials transparently and according to the rule of law and to allow access by international observers to all tribunals.

Bangladesh government pressed to speed up new elections Overall, MEPs regret that "the Caretaker Government, while making progress on tackling corruption, has been far less assertive on political reform". The resolution thus "calls for a return to democracy and the lifting of the state of emergency in Bangladesh" and in particular "for the lifting of the ban on all political activity, in order to enable all parties and political organisations to prepare for open and fair elections, as provided for under the constitution". The government is asked "to reconsider its present roadmap for elections and to speed up its preparations" and also to "make progress with the creation of a National Human Rights Commission".

EU action

Parliament welcomes the EU's commitment to grant technical support to the Bangladeshi authorities for the organisation of the elections and calls for the EU election observation mission to resume its long-term activities as soon as possible. The Council and the Commission are asked to monitor carefully the human rights and political situation in Bangladesh in the light of recent events and to make representations over the continuing use of the state of emergency.

  
       
    Support from the Ethnic Society  9/5/2007
    Bangladesh community in the UK demand unconditional and immediate release of five eminent university teachers of Bangladesh
--- by Press statement

Bangladesh community in the UK demand unconditional and immediate release of five eminent university teachers of Bangladesh

Prof. Anwar Hossain
Prof. Harun Ur Rashid
Prof. Saidur Rahman Khan
Abdus Sobhan
Moloy Kumar Bhowmik

A meeting of Bangladesh community in the UK was held at the Montifiory Centre in East London on 30th August 2007 to discuss the recent situation in Bangladesh following an incident at Dhaka University on 20th August 07 and to demand unconditional release of five eminent professors. Speakers in the meeting raised grave concern about current situation and stated that the incidence of Monday (assault of a student by army personnel in Dhaka University football ground) acted as a spark to ignite this anger and frustrations into an engulfing flame of mass agitation.
Speakers stated that the accumulated anger of the students and people generating from the continuously deteriorating problems of the day life of the people created the background for the electrifying spread of the spontaneous mass agitation to all parts of the country and among all sections of the people. The uncontrolled rise of prices of essentials, the repeated increase of the price of petroleum fuel, gas, electricity, water, fertilizer etc. , the large indiscriminate privatization of jute mills, banks etc. at the dictate of World Bank and IMF, large scale retrenchment of workers and atrocities against them, the inhumane uprooting of hawkers, roadside shops and markets, slums etc. and other anti-people measures and mistakes of the Caretaker Government during the last 7 months created frustrations and anger among the people.
Speakers termed the arrested teachers as the conscience of the nation and condemned the current Regime for unjust arrest and alleged mental and physical torture of the teachers in custody. They stated that people of Bangladesh would like to see the Regime to act within the remit of a Caretaker Government and should not have any political agenda other than holding a free and fair election.
The meeting was presided by Mujibul Haque Moni, a leader of UK JSD and conducted by Monjurul Azim Palash, President of Col. Taher Sangsad, UK. Speakers include among others: Sultan Mahmood Sharif, UK Awamileague, M. Hussain, Commonwealth Institute of Architects, Syed Enam, Communist Party of Bangladesh, Mohammed Belal Ahmed, London Bangla Press Club, Syed Faruk, community activist, Abdur Rahim, ex-councillor, Syed Rakib, teacher and community activist, Syed Anas Pasha, journalist, AKM Yahya, teacher, Ansar Ahmed Ullah and Ahad Chowdhury Babu of Intl. Forum for Secular Bangladesh, Dr Akter Sobhan Masrur, Workers Party of Bangladesh UK, Zahid Hasan Chowdhury, Dhaka University teacher, Santunu Majumder, Dhaka University Teacher, Rezwan Ahmed, journalist, Shiplu Chowdhury, community activist, Imtiaz Ahmed, teacher and politician, and Abu Hasan Mishu, social activist. Dr Peter Caster of International Forum for Democracy in Bangladesh sent a letter to the meeting demanding release of the arrested teachers.

http://www.ethnicsociety.com/index.php?Theme=navish_white&Area=article&Action=article&Page=articledetail&ArticleID=126&ArticleUUID=6A1981DC-99EB-BF3B-D4CA-C81B5E7F51C3		  
       
    The lastest message from Dr. Anwar Hossain  9/5/2007
   
Dear All,
 
As you know today was the end of the 4 day remand period. In total, my father Dr. Anwar Hossain and Dr. Harun Or Rashid had undergone 8 days remand. We were apprehending that the State would seek more remand. Fortunately this did not happen. My father and Dr. Rashid have both been kept under custody at the Dhaka Central Jail. They have been granted 'division', which implies that they will be treated as 'First Class Prisoners'. At the same time, the Court has directed that my father and Dr. Rashid's health condition be checked. We also came to know that they had been treated well while they were in the custody of the DGFI authorities and had also been allowed to sleep, which they had been denied previously.
I got the opportunity to speak to my father today. He gave me the following messages which he wants conveyed to the press also to the people of our country and beyond. I'm stating them below:
1) Immediately release the students who have been arrested and call off the cases that have been filed against them.
2) My father's previous apology on behalf of the students has greatly alleviated the pain the members of the armed forces had felt. He believes that it will bridge the gap that exists between the the Armed Forces and the common people of our country. He firmly believes that a greater unity between the common people of Bangladesh and the Armed Forces is necessary to bring about a lasting peace in our country.  
3) The present non-party caretaker government must take steps to bring ahead the national elections to an earlier date. It is essential that a fair an free national election be held as soon as possible to transfer power to a democratically elected government. The Bangladesh Armed Forces must assist the present government in this attempt and if they succeed, the Bangladesh Armed Forces can return to the barracks as heroes.
4) Call off the emergency and give back the people their fundamental rights as provided in the Constitution of the Bangladesh. If it is not possible to totally call off the emergency, then relax the emergency to a great certain extent.
5) It must be ensured that a fair trial is offered to Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda Zia and none of them should be victimized or shown bias in any way.
6) The Bangladesh Armed Forces must understand that they cannot achieve anything by applying brute force. They must understand the pulse of the people.
 
       
    Amnesty International's Press Rlease  9/5/2007
   
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL
PRESS RELEASE

AI Index: ASA 13/011/2007 (Public)
News Service No: 169
4 September 2007

Bangladesh: Amnesty International calls for thorough unrestricted inquiry into violations by security forces
In a letter to Bangladesh's leader, Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed, Amnesty International called on the authorities to ensure that all violations reported in the context of recent student unrest are thoroughly investigated and those responsible brought to justice.

In the letter, Amnesty International refers to a newly established judicial investigation by Justice Habibur Rahman Khan which is to submit its findings to the government on 11 September 2007.

The organization calls on the government to ensure that the inquiry is fully independent, has access to all persons and information that it considers relevant to its inquiries, and is able to ensure protection of witnesses. The inquiry's conclusions and recommendations should be made public, and the government should issue a public response indicating the steps it will take to implement recommendations made by the inquiry.

The letter from Amnesty International's Secretary General Irene Khan comes after reports of excessive use of force by security personnel following outbreaks of violence involving student demonstrators and law enforcement personnel in Dhaka and several other cities between 20 and 22 August, 2007.

Use of excessive force by police as well as reports of torture and ill-treatment of detainees while being interrogated by law enforcement personnel is deeply concerning. Detainees have also been denied access to lawyers and family members in clear violation of international human rights standards.

Demonstrations occurred after an altercation between students and military personnel attending a soccer match at Dhaka University on 20 August, which resulted in a number of students being beaten by soldiers. In subsequent, often violent, protests hundreds were reportedly injured as law enforcement personnel used batons, rubber bullets and tear gas to disperse demonstrators. At least one person was killed after being hit by a rubber bullet at Rajshahi University on 22 August, according to media reports. Several law enforcement personnel were also injured by stones and bricks thrown by protestors.

The organization also urged the authorities to take concrete measures with regard to the reports of torture and ill-treatment of detainees at the hands of members of the security forces. Amnesty International expressed concern for those detained and for extended periods denied access to lawyers and family members, including Dhaka University professors Harun ur Rashid and Anwar Hossain, and Rajshahi University professors Sayedur Rahman Khan, Abdus Sobhan and Moloy Kumar Bhowmik.

Public Document
****************************************
For more information please call Amnesty International's press office in London, UK, on +44 20 7413 5566
Amnesty International, 1 Easton St., London WC1X 0DW. web: http://www.amnesty.org
http://www.amnestyusa.org/document.php?lang=e&id=ENGASA130112007#

  
       
    Sign the Petition  9/5/2007
     
       
    Demonstration for the immediate release of the Bangladeshi Academics" on Thursday, September 6 at 3:00pm  9/5/2007
   
Friends,

Five senior University Professors of Dhaka and Rajshahi Universities in Bangladesh were arrested on the 24th August on alleged suspicion of organising the recent clashes between students and police. All the teachers have constantly rejected these allegations.

They are being tortured psychologically and physically in the Army's torture chamber and have not been given any legal representation.

Please come along to this demonstration outside the Bangladeshi Embassy, Thursday 6th Sept 3pm to lend your support and demand the release of the five arrested university teachers immediately. Bring: banners, music, voices, inspiration…

Publicise - word of mouth, leaflets, posters, e-mail, carrier pigeon…. including any contacts you may have in the media, action/pressure groups, parliamentary representatives, cameramen, photographers, journalists etc. We are calling on all like-minded people to attend.


Thank you
 
Event: Demonstration for the immediate release of the Bangladeshi Academics
What: Protest
Host: Friends and Family of the Arrested Academics
When: Thursday, September 6 at 3:00pm
Where: Bangladesh High Commission
Map location of the demonstration http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=SW7+5JA&ie=UTF8&ll=51.498859,-0.180202&spn=0.012289,0.028582&z=15&om=1
 
  
       
    CALL TO RELEASE BANGLADESHI UNIVERSITY ACADEMICS  9/5/2007
   

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:

Ms Theba Islam

02 Sept 2007

 

 

CALL TO RELEASE BANGLADESHI UNIVERSITY ACADEMICS

 

 

FACTS OF THE CASE:

 

On August 24, 2007 at 12.15am, Dr. M. Anwar Hossain and Harun-ur-Rashid both University Professors at Dhaka University were arrested in separate raids on their homes and taken away by the Military Intelligence of the Bangladesh Army.

 

Their arrests follow severe agitation between students of Dhaka University and the Bangladesh Army and police. Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch are currently investigating the case as the Professors have been detained solely because of their peaceful political beliefs in returning to a democratic process.

 

In today’s Court appearance, the Professors were charged with "giving provocative statements and instigating the recent violent protests on Dhaka University campus" Both have constantly rejected these allegations.

 

Dr. M. Anwar Hossain made the following press statement whilst in remand. Please note it is unclear whether this was made under duress:

 

“We know that the members of the armed forces have self respect...however we must not forget that the common citizens of our country and the students of Dhaka University also have self respect. I hope the Armed forces will remember this and learn from this incident so that they do not make such a mistake in the future…”

 

Despite their statements of innocence in remand, the Magistrate ruled today that the interrogators would question the teachers for four more days on a new set of charges involving the breach of emergency powers rules.

 

Dr. M. Anwar Hossain’s family are particularly concerned as his recent court appearance showed evidence of torture and ill treatment. Dr. M. Anwar Hossain stated in Court today that "People were physically tortured in front of us to torment us mentally. We were devastated." This was described as a brutal tactic used in military interrogation. Dr. M. Anwar Hossain, is 58 years old, has a health condition which require regular treatment. It is unclear if he currently has access to medical care and his medication in detention.

 

 

 

Dr. M. Anwar Hossain is a Professor of the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the Dhaka University. He is also the Dean of the Faculty of Biological Sciences at the Dhaka University. He is the General Secretary of the Dhaka University Teachers Association.

Here is a resume of his career as a distinguished academic in his field – http://www.bmbudhaka.net/fac/mah.htm

 

 

 

RELEVANT HUMAN RIGHTS STANDARDS

Universal Declaration of Human Rights

·       Article 19: Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.

RECOMMENDED ACTION:

 

Please send faxes, letters, or emails:

  • Expressing your extreme concern about reports of the detention of these Academics in Bangladesh who appear to have been detained solely for exercising their human right to freedom of expression, including:

1. Prof. Anwar Hussain, Chairman, Dept. of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology and General Secretary, Dhaka University Teachers Association (DUTA).

2. Prof. Harun-or-Rashid, Dean, Dept. of Social Science, Dhaka University

3. Prof Saidur Rahman, Former Vice-Chancellor of Rajshahi University

4. Prof. Abdus Sobhan, Convenor of Rajshahi University Progressive Teachers Society

5. Prof. Moloy Kumar Bhowmik, Dept. of Management, Rajshahi University

  • Calling for the immediate and unconditional release of all detainees; and
  • Requesting that the authorities ensure that all detainees are not subject to torture or ill-treatment and are granted access to their families and lawyers.

 

APPEAL AND INQUIRY MESSAGES CAN BE SENT TO:

Local and International Media

Your MP, Councillor, Parliamentary Representative

Foreign Office Contacts

International Human Rights Organisations

Institutes and Faculties of Biochemistry

Amnesty International

Civil Society Organisation

Victims of Torture Groups

Science and Human Rights Programmers

Any relevant groups you think can help in the release of the Professors

 

RECENT MEDIA REPORTS:

 

·       BBC - “Bangladesh moves to quell unrest” - 24 August 2007

·       http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/6961543.stm

·       The Guardian - “Bangladesh relaxes curfew after arresting Academics” - 24 August 2007 http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,,2155562,00.html

·       Al-Jazeera News - “Bangladesh arrests Academics” - 24 August 2007

·       http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/0ECC1CDE-98CB-4BE2-9E91-3F32983ABAC0.htm

·       Human Rights Watch - “Bangladesh: Abuses Grow in Crackdown on Protests, Students Angry After Eight Months of Emergency Rule” - 25 August 2007

http://hrw.org/english/docs/2007/08/25/bangla16739.htm

http://www.yubanet.com/artman/publish/article_64071.shtml

·       BBC - “Photo the Bangladesh army cannot stand” - 28 August 2007

·       http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/6966467.stm

 

Latest news -

http://news.google.co.uk/news?hl=en&ned=uk&ie=UTF-8&q=%2BAnwar+%2BHossain+%2BBangladesh

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CONTACTS:

 

DHAKA, BANGLADESH

Mr. Sanjeeb Hossain, son of Dr. Anwar Hossain

Dhaka

Email: sanjeeb.hossain@gmail.com

Mobile: 01552385105 / 01197127226

 

LONDON, UK

Mr. Abu Ahasan, nephew of Dr. Anwar Hossain

London

Email: samabeto007@yahoo.com

 

Ms. Theba Islam, niece of Dr. Anwar Hossain

London

Email: theba.islam@gmail.com

 

Ms. Joya Taher, niece of Dr. Anwar Hossain

London

Email: Joya_taher@col-taher.com

 

 

 

  
       
 



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