Humiliated and oppressed, a minority family of Narsingdi appeal to HRCBM for safety and secuirty

Report submitted by: HRCBM-BNC, Dhaka

Picture (courtesy: HRCBM-BNC): Severely injured Mr. Lab Chandra Debnath.

Background: Mr. Lab Chandra Debnath S/O Late Dinesh CH Debn ath of Anandi, PS & Dist - Narsingdi Bangladesh filed an appeal to HRCBM-Bangladesh for security and safety
of his family members. Mr. Lab Debnath is a businessman of Madhabdi Bazar and residing his ancestral home generation after generation over 259 years. In the month of October 2007, one of his daughter Miss Lata Debnath (16) was abducted by a group of extortionists, land grabber and political tout of Narsingdi area namely Shah Alam S/o L Subed Ali ; Md Afzal Hossain S/O Askar Ali ; Khorshed Alam S/o Siddique Miah, accordingly a case was filed in the Narsingdi PS No 05 dated 02-10-2007.

After that Miss Lata was rescued and a case was filed against those miscreants in the “Nari O Shishu Special Court” Case No -05 (10) 07 US 7/30 and 36/08 . Magistrate Fist Class had taken statement under section 22. The accused Shah Alam and gang has been
threatening the Debnath family to withdraw the case since then. Meanwhile on April 09, 2008, absentee accused Shah Alam along with 5 more criminals and political cadres under the patronage of local politician attack Mr. Dhiren Debnath and seriously injured his body severely stabbing victim’s hands, chest, back and shoulders. Another witness Amal Debnath was also injured in the same incident. Mr. Dhiren Debnath is now in the hospital passing his acute critical times. A case was filed on the same day on April 09, 2008 in the Narsingdi PS Vide No 15(04)08 under section 326/307/379/114 CRPC, yet police has not taken any punitive action.

The victim also filed an appeal to the Chief Adviser Office, CTG Vide No 7046 dated 17 April and to the Inspector Genaral of Bangladesh Police separately. However, seemingly appeals yet to produce any favorable action from the respective authority. Disappointed by the inactions of local administration, victim appealed to HRCBM to intervene.

The Superintendent of Police of Narsingdi police Mr. Shahabuddin Ahmed can be reached at 88-01713373406.

The following is a copy of the appeal (Bengali) received by HRCBM-BNC depicts nature of torutre faimly is undergoing. It is surprising that police and local administration despite being fully aware of the incident, allowing criminals to indulge in violence against the minority family. In this context, HRCBM has filed a writ before Bangladesh high court in 2006. However, despite that favourable rulling Bangladesh government has filed to protect minotires in the country.