PRESS RELEASE:Press Release A case charging on murder by torturing during emergency period is going to be file against seven members of elite force

A case charging on murder by torturing during emergency period is going to be file against seven members of elite force Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), including an Assistant Superintend of Police (ASP) with the Chief Judicial Magistrate Court, Shariyatpur on May 25, 2009. 

 A petition case is going to be file against the seven members of elite force Rapid Action Battalion (RAB)-8, Madaripur, including an Assistant Superintend of Police (ASP) charging on murder by torturing during the time of emergency under section 302, 109, 34 and 506 of Penal Code with the Chief Judicial Magistrate Court in Shariyapur district by one Ret’d Army Men Mr. Abdur Rahman Khan, father of the dead person (victim) Mr. Afjal Hossin on May 25, 2009 with the help of Bangladesh Institute of Human Rights (BIHR), under its legal and humanitarian activities to promote and protect human rights with the vision of making a torture and extra judicial execution free Bangladesh.

According to information received, on 18 March 2008 around at 5.00 pm when Mr. Afjal Hossain (presently killed person & victim of this case) was staying at Mahmudpur Bazar under Palong Police station in Shariyatpur distric, four members of RAB arrested and beaten him mercilessly with bat of the pistol, baton, iron road, kicking with boot in front of mass people insisting by some local conspirators. Thereafter, he was taken at nearby Binodpur Charer Kandi BM Ideal College field fastening his both hands and legs with rope. Then he was again brutally tortured by the RAB members including Mr. Kauser Ahmed, Assistant Police Super (ASP) who was on duty of RAB-8, Madaripur at that time. Later, he was taken to the Shariyatpur police line field where he was further tortured by them. At Shariyatpur police line field, they cut his both of the legs vein according to the instruction of ASP Kauser and Mr. Abid Hossen, who was a Sub Inspector (SI) of Palang Police Station. SI Abir Hossian also put an iron rod in to the throat of the victim and made him senseless. One time when the confirmed regarding the death of the victim, they admitted him at Shariyatpur General Hospital to save them as usually they do. When the victim’s physical condition was deteriorated, the authority of Shariyatpur General Hospital referred him to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH), but the authority of Shariyatpur police station failed to admit him at DMCH. After getting information about the deteriorated condition of the victim, his father came to hospital and admitted him at DMCH with the cordon of police on 19 March, 2009 around at 8.30. But his son Mr. Afzal fell in death on March 20, 2009 around at 1.15 pm. It is also mentioned that when the father of the victim declared to file case, the alleged perpetrators trying to influence victim’s father not to file the case as well as compromise the matter by offering some token money to him. But when he refused their offer, they threaten him to kill as like as his son. Mr. Abdur Rahaman Khan, father of the victim was also bound to live out side of his permanent living area due to frightening of receive continuous life threat from the alleged perpetrators for a long time. Further, it mentioned that he tried to file the case more time previously, but no civil society had been stand beside him, even no lawyer of Shariyatpur district Bar Association had been agreed to move the case on behalf of him due to frightening by the RAB. Though one lawyer had been, but he demanded big amount of money as his fees. As the poverty of Mr. Abdur Rahman could not pay his demanded high amount, the lawyer did not agree to move the case. At last, Mr. Rahman is going to file the case as a complainant against the alleged perpetrators with the legal and financial assistance of the well-known human rights organization Bangladesh Institute of Human Rights (BIHR) which is located at 27, Bijoy Nagar in Dhaka on May 25, 2009. The case will be moved by Adv. Shahanur Islam Saikot, Programme Manager of Legal and Human Rights Affairs at Bangladesh Institute of Human Rights (BIHR) and Adv. Mohammed Alamgir on behalf of the complainant Mr. Abdur Rahman.