Paris, France; December 28, 2023: JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF) is gravely concerned and outraged over the alleged death of Anwar Hossain and Golam Rabbani due to torture in police custody at Sarishabari Police Station under Jamalpur district and Baniachang Police Station under Habiganj district in Bangladesh, on December 26, 2023.
JMBF demands exemplary punishment for the culprits involved in the alleged gross human rights violation, investigating by forming an inquiry committee led by a judicial magistrate to ensure the highest levels of integrity and transparency in the proceedings.
Multiple news sources reported that Anwar Hossain (45) of village Chaparkona under Sarishabari police station in Jamalpur district was arrested on December 26 in the afternoon in connection with a case filed on December 25 for locking into an altercation with one Firoz Mia in Chaparkona market on December 10. Mushfiqur Rahman, officer-in-charge of Sarishabari police station, said Anwar fell ill after being brought to the police station on Tuesday evening. He died while being taken to Sarishabari Upazila Health Complex around 1 am. Mehedi Hasan, the duty doctor of Sarishabari Upazila Health Complex, said Anwar was brought dead to the hospital. An ECG was also performed to confirm his death. Police later handed over his dead body to his family after the completion of the autopsy by Jamalpur General Hospital. However, the deceased’s family claimed that Anwar died due to torture in custody. Anwar's wife, Alpana Begum, said that her husband was completely sound when he was picked up by the police, and her husband was killed due to torture by police in Sarishabari police station. His sister, Nurjahan Begum, demanded justice for the killing of her brother. Meanwhile, Sub-Inspector Sohel Rana, the investigating officer of the case, denied the family’s torture and murder allegations.
In another incident, Golam Rabbani Mia (25), son of late Mohiuddin Mia, of village Nandipara under Baniachang police station in Habiganj district, was arrested by Assistant Sub Inspection of Police of Baniachang police Station Monirul Islam. He was arrested from Big Bazar Freedom Fighter Memorial on December 26 in the middle of the day in connection with the theft and snatching case. Then he was put in police station custody. Md. Delowar Hossain, officer in Charge of the said police station, told that later at evening time, he was discovered hanging with a ceiling fan in police custody at Baniachang police station. But Fajar Chan, the mother of deceased Golam Rabbani Mia, stated that her son did not commit suicide. She alleged that her son was killed by the police due to torture in Baniachang police station. She demanded justice for the killing of her son.
Advocate Shahanur Islam, Founder President of JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF) and a prominent human rights lawyer, states that the death of Anwar Hossain and Golam Rabbani in police custody in Jamalpur and Habiganj is not an isolated incident, but rather these are common examples of systematic human rights and fundamental rights violations by law enforcing agencies and a lack of accountability within Bangladesh's criminal justice system, which has cast a dark shadow on the state of human rights and the rule of law in Bangladesh.
Advocate Shahanur Islam strongly protests these incidents and demands to ensure exemplary punishment for those responsible, with an impartial, comprehensive, and transparent investigation and trial into the circumstances that led to this tragedy.
Advocate Islam also states that although Article 35(5) of the Constitution of the People's Republic of Bangladesh clearly prohibits all kinds of torture, police continue to employ torture for interrogation in their custody, without respecting the constitutional provision and human rights principles, resulting in the frequent deaths of citizens of Bangladesh in their custody.
Moreover, due to the lack of independent and impartial investigations into such incidents and holding those responsible for wrongdoing accountable, regardless of their position or affiliation, the police are disregarding the fundamental principles of the constitution, United Nations Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), and other existing laws in Bangladesh, Shahanur Islam stated.
JMBF demands the immediate filing of criminal cases against the alleged police officials under the Prohibition of Death in Custody and Torture Act 2013 and arrest them immediately. JMBF also demands the physical and psychological integrity of the victims' families, as well as ensuring financial compensation for Anwar Hossain and Golam Rabbani’s families.
With Best Regards
Advocate Shahanur Islam
Founder President
Email: saikotbihr@gmail.com
Cell/WhatsApp/Signal: +33 (0)7 83 95 23 15
============================================================ Advocate Shahanur Islam | An Young, Ascendant, Dedicated Human Rights Defender, Lawyer and Blogger from Bangladesh, Fighting for Ensuring Human Rights, Rule of Law, Good Governance, Peace and Social Justice For the Victim of Torture, Extra Judicial Killing, Force Disappearance, Trafficking in Persons including Ethnic, Religious, Sexual and Social Minority People.
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