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AHRC-PL-076-2006

BANGLADESH: Killer, torturer list submitted to UN peacekeeping unit

(Hong Kong, August 24, 2006) The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) on Wednesday submitted a list of Bangladesh police and paramilitary officers accused of murder, torture and other serious criminal acts to the United Nations peacekeeping unit in New York.

The Hong Kong-based regional rights group advised Jean-Marie Guehenno, the under secretary general for peacekeeping operations, that he should "under no circumstances" allow any of those named to be included in any UN operations abroad.

"All of the persons in the attached list are alleged to be complicit in gross human rights abuses, and we believe that it would be a great disservice to the UN were they to join with its forces internationally; although some have already served in the past," Basil Fernando, executive director of the AHRC, wrote.

The AHRC said that the list was an "interim measure" while the UN reviewed all aspects of Bangladesh's role in peacekeeping abroad, in light of the "very high" number of killings, assaults and other abuses by Bangladeshi soldiers and police in their own country.

In an open letter to the peacekeeping chief released on August 17, the group called for Bangladesh to be suspended from UN missions until its government scraps the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and guarantees "effective redress for victims of abuses".

The RAB is accused of causing a severe increase in the number of extrajudicial killings committed by military and police personnel in Bangladesh during the two years since it was formed.

The AHRC recognised that suspending Bangladesh's involvement in peacekeeping operations would be a difficult decision for the UN, but said that the request was "fully justified" and asked Guehenno to consider it "without prejudice".

Bangladesh has the highest number of UN peacekeepers abroad at the present time, numbering over 10,000.

The AHRC has in recent weeks issued a series of open letters to concerned UN agencies on Bangladesh, in the lead-up to the release of a new report on policing and the judiciary in the country.

The short list of names submitted to the UN follows.


SHORT LIST OF SELECTED RAB AND BANGLADESH POLICE PERSONNEL WHO SHOULD NOT BE SENT FOR UN PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS DUE TO UNANSWERED HUMAN RIGHTS ALLEGATIONS

1. Director General Md. Abdul Aziz Sarkar & Additional Director General Md. Mahbubul Alam Mollah, RAB HQ: Who as present chief and deputy chief of the RAB have command responsibility for all alleged gross violations that their subordinates have committed. The director general has served in the UN missions in Yugoslavia and Kosovo, his deputy in the Iraq-Kuwait mission.  

2. Lieutenant Colonel Muhammed Badrul Ahsan, Commanding Officer of RAB-4: For the alleged extrajudicial killing of Md. Madudur Rahman by RAB-4 personnel on 8 March 2006 after detaining him as he was leaving the Session Judge's Court in Dhaka. The commander has served in the UN mission to Sierra Leone.

3. Lieutenant Colonel Farhad Ahmed, Commanding Officer of RAB-3: For the alleged extrajudicial killing of Abul Kalam Azad Sumon in a field at Rampura Banosri residential area under the Khilgaon police station, Dhaka late at night on 31 May 2005. RAB-3 alleged that the victim had six criminal cases against him at police stations around Dhaka. When investigated, the allegation was found to be false. The commander has served as a UN military observer in Iraq.

4. Major Shahin, commander of RAB Jessore, under command of RAB-6 Khulna district headquarters, and the RAB-6 Commanding Officer Lieutenant Colonel Mohammed Shamsul Huda: First, for the alleged extrajudicial killing of Harun-ur-Rashid and Aslam Hossein in two separate incidents during the night of 16 July 2006 after arresting the men in Dhaka and transferring them to Jessore. Secondly, for the alleged torture and incommunicado detention of Kishore Kumar Das between 20 and 23 July 2006. RAB-6 is also listed as having the highest number of "crossfire" deaths by RAB statistics: 80 out of the total 283 recorded as of July 2006.

5. Additional Deputy Inspector General of Police Mazharul Haque & Deputy Commissioner of Police Kohinur Mian of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police: For allegedly ordering the assault and torture of Shahin Sultana Santa in the Jatiya Sangsad Area of Dhaka on 12 March 2006 after mistaking her for an opposition party activist, causing the victim to abort her child. The incident of assault and arrest of the victim on the street was recorded by television and newspaper journalists.

6. Assistant Commissioner of Police (Supply) Enamul Kabir & Deputy Commissioner of Police Ali Akbar Khan of the Chittagong Metropolitan Police: For their role in the brutal assault on journalists at the Chittagong cricket stadium on 16 April 2006, in which DC Akbar himself physically attacked and caused serious injuries to a 65-year-old journalist. This incident also was broadcast live to the nation and the violent attack by DC Akbar is a matter of undisputed fact; however, none of the perpetrators have been prosecuted, to the knowledge of the AHRC.

7. Deputy Commissioner of Police Nurul Islam & Superintendent of Police Rezaul Karim of Chapainawabganj district police & Police Inspector Sahabudding Khalifa, officer in charge of Shibganj police station in the same district: For their roles in the killing of at least 20 persons, torture of three, and wounding of around 200 others after shooting into crowds protesting poor electricity supply in Nawabganj district on 4 January 2006.

8. Superintendent of Police Fazlur Rahman, commanding officer of the Satkhira district police: For his alleged role in the assault of Rashida Khatun in his personal office on 8 June 2006.

9. Assistant Superintendent of Police Mohammed Mizanur Rahman, Police Inspector Sheikh Jillur Rahman, Sub Inspector Motiar Rahman & Assistant Sub Inspectors Khalilur Rahman & Nazma Aktar Sukhi of Barisal district central police station: For the alleged torture of Imon Chowdhury on 28 December 2005.

10. Assistant Superintendent of Police Ashraf of RAB-1, Dhaka, under command of Lieutenant Colonel Asif Ahmed Ansari: For the alleged torture of Sk. Abubakkar sultan Bitan at Jasimuddin road, Uttara Sector-7 in Dhaka and the RAB–1 office at Uttara, Dhaka on 15 July 2005; case recorded by the UN Special Rapporteur on the question of torture (E/CN.4/2006/6/Add.1, no. 10; no reply from government). The RAB-1 Commanding Officer has served as Operations Officer and Public Information Officer at the UN peacekeeping headquarters in Mozambique.

11. Police Inspector Ratan Krishna Nath & Sub Inspector Belal Hossain of Mohonpur police station, Rajshahi district: For the alleged torture of Deraj Ali & Abul Kalam Azad on 2 June 2006.

12. Police Inspector Nur Alam & Sub Inspector Abu Yusuf of Gaibandha district central police station: For the alleged extrajudicial killing of Sajedur Rahman Sajid in police custody on 18 May 2006, and attempt to cover the same as a suicide.

13. Police Inspector Abdul Malek of the Gangni police station, Meherpur district, under the command of Assistant Commissioner of Police Monwar Hossain: For the assault and wounding of dozens of villagers on 21 January 2006 as revenge for the villagers attacking some police due to mistaken identity.

14. Police Inspector Chowdhury Tarikul Alam, officer in charge of Khilgaon police station, Dhaka Metropolitan Police: For the alleged assault of Mohammed Abul Kashem Gazi on 24 November 2005.

15. Police Inspectors Mohammed Ishaque & Sakhawat, together with Sub Inspectors Abdul Hai, Alamgir, Sha Alam and Hakim of RAB-7 in Potenga, Chittagong district: For the alleged torture of Sha Newaz Tito, Munir Hossain Talukdar and Ziaul Alam Dipu in the Agrabad area of Chittagong, Bangladesh on 4 August 2004, resulting in the death of Sha Newaz on August 6.

16. Police Sub Inspector Abdul Mannan of Bishnupur police camp under Damurhuda police station, Chuadanga district, under the command of Superintendent Mohammed Muslim: For the alleged torture of Inarul Islam Ena on 3 July 2006.

17. Police Sub Inspector Mokhlesur Rahman of Savar police station, Dhaka Metropolitan Police: For the alleged extrajudicial killing of Nayan Banu on 16 June 2006, for which he may or may not be facing criminal action.

18. Police Sub Inspector Abdul Hakim & Assistant Sub Inspector Nuruzzaman of Rajarhat police station, Kurigram district, under command of Assistant Superintendent of Police Kazi Foyzul Hossain: For the alleged extrajudicial killing of Kasim Uddin on 22 June 2006.

19. Police Sub Inspector Abdus Samad of Paikgachha police station, Khulna district: For the alleged assault of Anjuman Ara Parvin, Anwara Begum, Mostafa Sardar & Khairul Sardar on 3 May 2006.

20. Police Sub Inspector Nurul Islam of the Kutia district police: For his part in the shooting deaths of Ratan, Azam & Mizanur Rahman and injuries to 16 others on 28 December 2005.

21. Police Sub Inspectors Ismail & Shawkat of the Civil Team, Mohammadpur police station, Dhaka Metropolitan Police: For the alleged torture and extrajudicial killing of Shafi Uddin Shafi on 30 November 2005.

22. Police Sub Inspector Atiar Rahman of the Lalbag police station, Dhaka Metropolitan Police: For the alleged assault of Rozina & Imran Begum on 13 November 2005.

23. Police Sub Inspectors Hafizur & Netai of the Boalia police station, Rajshahi district: For the alleged torture of Azizur Rahman Shohel & Atiquer Rahman Jewel on 27 July 2005; case recorded by the UN Special Rapporteur on the question of torture (E/CN.4/2006/6/Add.1, no. 10; no reply from government).   

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About AHRC: The Asian Human Rights Commission is a regional non-governmental organisation monitoring and lobbying human rights issues in Asia. The Hong Kong-based group was founded in 1984.