HRCBM's Human Rights Defenders receive threat from Superintendent of Police-Dhaka, Bangladesh

PROTECTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS AND MINORITIES- ENSURE FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION AND HUMANITARIAN ACTIVITIES.

Mr.Md.Ibrahim Fatemi – Superintendent of Police-Dhaka threatened me to abandon our humanitarian job for the minorities of Bangladesh over his telephone cell number: 01711152778 yesterday on 19th of May 2007 at about 2-30 p.m. I was trying to meet with him at his office for alleged abuses of human rights violations against religious minorities within his jurisdiction. I solicited S.P's assistance as per directives of Barrister Moinul Husain-Adviser for Law and Information on the following agenda: -

1) O.C. –Nowabganj-Dhaka did not help recording a genuine case of one minority victim – Dasharat Biswas son of late Meghalal Biswas of the same locality whose dwelling house was going to be occupied illegally by some land grabbers by practicing fraud, rather the O.C. intimidated the victim to concede to the demand of illegal land grabbers.
2) Md.Ikbal Hossain – O.C. Dhamrai P.S.-Dhaka arrested destitute minority victim-Sunil Monirishi recording two false cases against six minority victims duly influenced by the local Chairman and U.P. Member belonging to BNP( Dhamrai P.S. case No. 09 dated 27.02.2007 and Dhamrai P.S.case No. 12 dated 13.12.2006.

I requested Md.Ibrahim Fatemi –S.P. to take necessary steps against two Police officers who were indulging bad practices in the locality endangering the rights of the people on the above specific allegations from the minority victims. But the S.P. on the spur of the moment said " Don't disturb me any more, I know you since long. You picked up a quarrel with S.P. Narayanganj in the first of part of January, 2006 while video camera was detained for two hours while I was the Additional Superintendent of Police, Narayanganj " Then he disconnected my telephone line most discourteously.

Then I talked with Mr.S.M. Sazzat Ali, PPM, Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Dhaka Range, Dhaka over his Cell telephone Number:01713373316 and apprised him about the telephonic conversation between S.P. and myself. He then gave me an appointment to day (20th of May, 07) at his office and met along with the victims of the respective areas and ventilated the grievances of the victims at about 1-30 p.m. Mr. Sazzat Ali patiently heard the victims and myself and directed the O.C. Nowabganj P.S. to take case from the minority victim. Mr. Sazzat Ali also requested me to contact with respective Additional Superintendent of Police and the O.C.-Dhamrai P.S. to know how the O.C. submitted charge sheet against the minority victims in a false case.

I also contacted with Md.Nazmul Hossain, Additional Superintendent of Police, and Dhaka over his Cell telephone No. 01713373321 and politely requested him to know how in a false case the O.C. Dhamrai P.S. arrested the minority victim maliciously and sent him in jail custody and submitted charge sheet in Dhamrai P.S. case No. 12 dated 13.12.2006. Mr. Nazmul Hossain became angry with me and started to rebuke in filthy languages " You don't interfere our government duties – if you in future disturb us you will be in great problem and we may send you in prison also."

I also talked with Md.Ikbal Hossain, O.C. Dhamrai P.S. over his telephone No.01716873886 and wanted to know how two false cases have been recorded against the minority victim-Sunil Chandra Monidas and how they have been sent to prison without any lawful authority. The O.C. on the spur of the moment became angry and started to rebuke me in filthy languages and said that " Why you are so interested with the victim-women –Shili Rani – Do you like to marry her? " Then he disconnected my telephone line most discourteously.

I also talked with Mr.Mokammel, Private Secretary to Mr.Abdul Karim- Secretary of Ministry of Home yesterday and informed him the situation over his telephone No.10712856809.

I also met with Mr.Nur Mohammad – Inspector-General of Police, Bangladesh for necessary help and enquiry into the allegations contained in my application submitted to-day 22nd of May,2007 at about 2.30 p.m. at his office. IGP was kind enough to entrust this matter to Mr. Shoeb Ahmed, Assistant Inspector General of Police, Security Cell –Dhaka for taking necessary steps. But Mr. Shoeb Ahmed felt reluctance to know that we are working for the cause of Minorities in particular. According to him everybody should work for all citizens of Bangladesh not for only minorities.

I have narrated all the recent atrocities against the minorities today; but no effective measures could be taken against the perpetrators. Mr.Shoeb Ahmed, however, this time, assured me that he would be made available at his cell Number 01713373014 and he will try his best to look into the matter in future.

I told them that HRCBM has been in the line to protect, restore, nurture and promote human rights, freedom and justice for the religious and ethnic minorities of Bangladesh in particular and all citizen of general. But in every occasion the government kept silent on this matter.

I would fervently request to take up the matter with the highest authority so that Human rights activists now working for the protection of rights of minorities could be protected. We are facing tremendous difficulties and inviting discontentment from the government officials in course of our investigation on serious human rights violations against minorities. They are treating our activities as anti-social and anti-majority.

Urgent action in this regard may kindly be issued.

Regards,

Adv.Rabindra Ghosh
HRCBM-Dhaka-Bangladesh.
http://www.hrcbm.org