URGENT APPEAL:Bangladesh: Religiously motivated attack against a Hindu temple

The Hague, The Netherlands

URGENT APPEAL:Bangladesh: Religiously motivated attack against a Hindu temple.

                                                                                     

ISSUES:  Minority rights, physical assault, forced eviction, threats, religious destruction, police negligence, corruption.

Dear Friends,

Between the 19^th- 21^st of August 2010 GHRD Dhaka together with Bangladesh Institute of Human Rights (BIHR) investigated the attack against a Hindu temple at the Sutapur District. 11 families were forcefully evicted and another 20 families were threatened to leave their home immediately. One woman, Eva Ghosh was dragged by her hair.

General condition of the prisons in Bangladesh

SAIKOT SHAHANUR ISLAM

The prisoners of 56 prisons among 67 around the Bangladesh are deprived from health care and medical facility due to the absence of prison hospital. There is no availability of ambulance services. So, the severe patients of prisons are taken to the general hospital by the prison van for their treatment. The treatment activates have been closed due to lack of manpower and doctor of which 11 prisons using the hospital. There are 11 prisons using the hospital amongst 67 prisons around the country, but there are not enough doctors and manpower to provide service to the ill prisoners. The conditions of the sick prisoners are being deteriorated due to lack of clean water supply and proper sanitation. There are only 16 doctors for about one lac sick prisoner all over the country as well as no specialist amongst them. The treatment services for the sick prisoners are being hampered due to the lack prisons hospital availability in the 56 prisons. 

URGENT APPEAL: demands to rehabilitate them as well as make a credible investigation to bring the allege perpetrators before justice

BANGLADESH INSTITUTE OF HUMAN RIGHTS URGENT APPEAL PROGRAMME

URGENT APPEAL CASE: BIHR-IAU-30-08-10

DATE: August 30, 2010

Type of Violation: Right to shelter, religious activity, security, and personal integrity

Dear Friends

Bangladesh Institute of Human Rights has been received a fact finding investigation report conducted by it high level investigation team from August 19-21, 2010 regarding some influential people of old Dhaka attempted to grab the old Hindu buildings including the temple, evicted some of the residing members, destroyed the temple and residences, looted the valuable statue of temple and property of the residing people as well as severely beat the males and molested the females. The victim urged the concerned police station to protect them, initially the police authority did not come to protect them. Though the victims demand to rehabilitate them as well as make a credible investigation to bring the allege perpetrators before justice, yet no proper action has been taken by the concern authority.

Appeal to US Secretary of State

Your Excellency Hillary Clinton

US Secretary of State

Washington DC, United States 

Dear Madam Secretary,

The verdict announced by the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, rejecting the designation of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI) as a terrorist group by the former Secretary of State, is a tremendous transition in the path of ending a great injustice which is harming the Iranian people and the residents of Camp Ashraf who are affiliated with the PMOI. We are confident that you will implement the Court of Appeals’ ruling and by delisting the PMOI from the List of FTO, make a great contribution to democracy in Iran and peace and stability in the region. 

The PMOI designation is not only used in the path of violating the rights of the members and supporters of the PMOI as the democratic opposition of the Iranian regime. It has also been exploited to justify the execution of their members and supporters inside Iran, and during the past seven years, this label has been a tool to suppress the residents of Camp Ashraf in Iraq. 

The recent US Court of Appeals’ ruling has paved the road for you to correct the mistakes made. 

There is no need to say that justice should not be conditioned to political considerations, and the interests of nations and free governments rests in observing democracy and the law. We hope that by ridding the injustice done to the PMOI, you will put an end to our grave worries. 

Yours Sincerely,

Adv. Shahanur Islam Saikot 

LL.B (Hon's); LL.M (Law & Justice)

JusticeMakers Fellow 2010 

Secretary General/Executive Director

Bangladesh Institute of Human Rights (BIHR)

Flat # B-17, 27, Bijoy Nagar, Dhaka-1000, Bangladesh 

Email: saikotbihr@gmail.com, bihr.bd@gmail.com 

Cell: + 88 017 20308080, Ph: +88 02 9349851 

Fax: + 88 028352166, www.bihr-bihr.blogspot.com

URGENT APPEAL:Seeking justice through the proper investigation of the incident of beating by Parliament Member

¯§viK bs-weAvBGBPAvi/jvjgwbinvU/02/08/10/30                                                                        22 AvM÷, 2010

eivei,

Aa¨vcK wgRvbyi ingvb

‡Pqvig¨vb

RvZxq gvbevwaKvi Kwgkb

evox # 6/3, e­K # wW

jvjgvwUqv, XvKv |

welqt jvjgwbinv‡U wewWAv‡ii wbh©vZ‡b hyeK wbnZ nIqvi NUbvwU h_vh_ Z`š—c~e©K cÖ‡qvRbxq e¨e¯’v MÖnb cÖms‡M|

g‡nv`q,

gvbevwaKvi cÖwZôvb evsjv‡`k BÝwUwUDU Ae wnDg¨vb ivBUm& (weAvBGBPAvi)-Gi c¶ †_‡K ï‡f”Qv MÖnb Ki“b|

RvwZmsN KZ…©K M„nxZ Avš—R©vwZK gvbevwaKvi mb` (wej Ae ivBUm&)-Gi Av`‡k©i wfwˇZ cÖwZwôZ evsjv‡`k BÝwUwUDU Ae wnDg¨v

URGENT APPEAL:Seeking justice through the proper investigation of the incident of killing due to torture byBDR

¯§viK bs-weAvBGBPAvi/jvjgwbinvU/02/08/10/30                                                                        22 AvM÷, 2010

eivei,

Aa¨vcK wgRvbyi ingvb

‡Pqvig¨vb

RvZxq gvbevwaKvi Kwgkb

evox # 6/3, e­K # wW

jvjgvwUqv, XvKv |

welqt jvjgwbinv‡U wewWAv‡ii wbh©vZ‡b hyeK wbnZ nIqvi NUbvwU h_vh_ Z`š—c~e©K cÖ‡qvRbxq e¨e¯’v MÖnb cÖms‡M|

g‡nv`q,

gvbevwaKvi cÖwZôvb evsjv‡`k BÝwUwUDU Ae wnDg¨vb ivBUm& (weAvBGBPAvi)-Gi c¶ †_‡K ï‡f”Qv MÖnb Ki“b|

RvwZmsN KZ…©K M„nxZ Avš—R©vwZK gvbevwaKvi mb` (wej Ae ivBUm&)-Gi Av`‡k©i wfwˇZ cÖwZwôZ evsjv‡`k BÝwUwUDU Ae wnDg¨vb ivBUm& (weAvBGBPAvi)-Gi cÖwZôvjMœ ‡_‡K gvbevwaKvi i¶v I Dbœq‡b m`v wb‡qvwRZ|

Letter to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Regarding the Harassment of Apparel Industry Demonstrators and Union Leaders

August 10, 2010

We are seeking your immediate intervention to stop the serious harassment of trade union leaders and other labor rights activists and workers in the ready-made garment (RMG) industry who have been pressing for the right of workers to organize in unions and seeking increases in Bangladesh's minimum wage regulations.

On July 29, 2010, after tripartite negotiations with government, workers, and employers, the government raised the daily minimum wage from 1662 taka to 3000 taka. However, the action angered workers who claimed the increase is less than the amount needed to meet the rising cost of living for urban-based workers and fell far short of the increase that the workers, trade unionists, and NGO activists were demanding. As has occurred numerous times in the history of Bangladesh's RMG industry, on July 30 and 31, worker anger and frustration boiled over into the streets, with roads being blocked, vandalism and attacks against factories and properties taking place, and use of force by police and security forces that resulted in scores of injuries among protesting workers. Human Rights Watch condemns instances of violence by the protesters as well as incidents where security forces may have used excessive force to quell the protests.

HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT: Bangladesh: Monthly Human Rights Report (July 2010) by GHRD

Global Human Rights Defence (GHRD) Monthly Human Rights Report Bangladesh, July 2010 GHRD is very concerned about the high number of attacks against religious minorities this month in Bangladesh, especially against Hindus. During July GHRD has investigated three cases involving attacks and assaults against Hindu victims. In addition to this local newspapers have also reported about several similar incidents. This month report also contains information about CHT. According to news reports several NGOs in the region are under the surveillance of the government. Additionally, the Chittagong Hills Tracts Commission recently sent out a memorandum to the Prime Minister regarding their concern about the attacks taking place in February of this year. Other updates from this month include a verdict made by the High Court that will declare extrajudicial punishments, such as fatwa, illegal. Additionally, following the High Court’s verdict in 2005 regarding the scrapping of the fifth amendment of the Bangladeshi constitution, the government are now preparing a draft to amend the Bangladeshi constitution in order to restore a constitutional spirit of "secularism" and "democracy”.

The State of Human Rights for the Month of July 2010

Ref: BIHR/HRR/07/08/2010                                                                Date: 02.08.10

The Law enforcing agencies is still continuing the extra judicial killing, torture and harassment, though the government has come to power promising to promote and protect human right in Bangladesh

(The State of Human Rights for the Month of July 2010)

The Bangladesh Institute of Human Rights (BIHR) is a non-profit, non-governmental organisation registered with the Department of Social Welfare, Government of the Peoples Republic of Bangladesh based on the United Nation Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) dedicated to promote and protect human rights in Bangladesh. BIHR publishes its state of Human Rights for the period of July 01 to July 31, 2010. The report was prepared by the research and documentation cell of BIHR on the basis of report published on 12 national news papers from July 02 to August 01, 2010, fact-finding mission and its direct sources. BIHR is resents and is deeply concerned over the continuing human rights violations in Bangladesh despite the promises to promote human rights, especially in regards to Extra-judicial Killing, torture, political violence, death due to negligence of doctor, rape, eve teasing and molestation, minority repression as well as violence against journalist and human rights defender. Adv. Shahanur Islam, the Secretary General of BIHR asks the Government to take prompt and effective measures ensuring and end to all kinds of violations as well as demands to investigate and bring the alleged perpetrations before the book, forming a special commission.

Order issued by the National Human Rights Commission allegation recieved from BIHR Regarding to death under police custody at B Baria

Committee formed by Home Ministry to investigate the incident of killing under custody of Shahbag Police Station

URGENT APPEAL: Bangladesh: Rape victim imprisoned in the name of ‘safe custody’ for a week [UA-BA-01.07.2010]

The Hague, The Netherlands URGENT APPEAL: Bangladesh: Rape victim imprisoned in the name of ‘safe custody’ for a week [UA-BA-01.07.2010] ISSUES: Kidnapping, rape, lack of appropriate health services, arbitrary detention. Dear Friends, Between the 23rd of June until the 26th of June 2010 Bangladesh Institute of Human Rights together with GHRD investigated the abduction and rape of a 24 year old woman. After the woman was recovered she was imprisoned at the Rangpur Central Jail for eight days, in the name of ‘safe custody’.

Innitiative taken by the office of the Civil Surgeon after reciving Urgent Appeal issued by BIHR

Action taken by the office of the Prime Minister after reciving Urgent Appeal issued by BIHR

URGENT APPEAL:Seeking justice through the proper investigation of the incident of abduction and rape by the Jubo League cadre.

UA No. BIHR/Rangpur/02/06/2010                                                                     June 30, 2010

To.

Mrs. Sheikh Hasina
Prime Minister
Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh
Office of the Prime Minister
Tejgaon, Dhaka
BANGLADESH
Fax: +880 2 811 3244 / 3243 / 1015 / 1490
Tel: +880 2 882 816 079 / 988 8677
E-mail: pm@pmo.gov.bd or ps1topm@pmo.gov.bd or psecy@pmo.gov.bd

Subject: Seeking justice through the proper investigation of the incident of abduction and rape by the Jubo League cadre.

STATEMENT: Published in the Daily Star on 24 June, 2010

NEWS: Shahanur Islam - Bangladesh

See Shahanur's application to the 2010 JusticeMakers Competition.

Growing up and working for human rights in Bangladesh, Shahanur noticed that people often become victims of their own ignorance and lack of resources vis-à-vis the criminal justice system.

Shahanur holds a Masters in Laws (LL.M) with a focus on human rights law, and has about ten years experience working in the fields of human rights, peace advocacy, criminal justice and good governance.  His experiences gave him technical and managerial skills covering a wide range of development areas, including designing and implementing projects related to human rights, criminal justice, peace and good governance; providing legal support and counseling to victims of violence (focusing on ethnic and religious minority women and children); initiating and carrying out projects to strengthen local government; networking with different NGO’s; facilitating trainings, seminars, and workshops on human rights issues as a trainer and moderator; and lobbying at both the national and international levels. Shahanur also has experience providing direct legal support to the Bangladesh Court for Criminal Justice, and is currently the Executive Director of the Bangladesh Institute of Human Rights (BIHR).