During the first 180 days of the state of emergency, the citizens of Bangladesh have suffered indiscriminate human rights violations. FORUM-ASIA condemns such violations and demands an immediate end to emergency regulations, urging the government to respect their obligations under international human rights treaties.
As a result of the indiscriminate human rights violations committed by the law enforcement agencies of Bangladesh, FORUM-ASIA calls for an end to the state of emergency and protection of human rights. FORUM-ASIA expresses its alarm over the number of extra-judicial killings, detentions and torture used during the state of emergency. Bangladesh is obligated under international human rights treaties to respect human rights regardless of circumstance.
Unfortunately, during the first 180 days of emergency, 114 persons have reportedly been killed by law enforcement personnel. In Bangladesh, security forces have long been implicated in torture and extrajudicial killings. Killings have been attributed to members of the army, the police, and the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), an elite anti-crime and anti-terrorism force.
FORUM-ASIA member Odhikar, along with several other human rights organisations in Bangladesh, reported that out of the 114 that were killed, 64 persons were victims of activities by the RAB, 28 by the police, seven by joint forces, seven by the army, three by the navy, three by RAB and the police jointly and one by the jail police. One person was reportedly killed by officers of the Department of Narcotics Control. FORUM-ASIA expresses its dismay over the huge number of extra-judicial killings, an extreme human rights violation prevailing in Bangladesh during the state of emergency.
The state of emergency was declared by Dr Iajuddin Ahmed, the president of Bangladesh on 11 January 2007, precipitating this terrible spiral of violence. Although the constitution of Bangladesh has not been revoked, fundamental rights, such as the freedom of speech including the freedom of press, freedom of movement, freedom of assembly, freedom of association, freedom of occupation and rights to property have been suspended. No citizen can appeal to these rights through the High Court, giving unlimited scope to the security forces to exercise their might, committing heinous violations of human rights. FORUM-ASIA condemns such violations and demands the restoration of the rule of law, ensuring independence of the judiciary and fair trials.
FORUM-ASIA believes the government of Bangladesh should respect such non-derogable provisions of human rights laws and make specific measures to hold trials of the perpetrators during this period of emergency and preserve the dignity and rights of the citizens of Bangladesh. Finally, FORUM-ASIA demands that the Bangladesh government remove all possible barriers that prevent the protection of human rights, starting by immediately ending the state of emergency.
For more information, please contact: Anselmo Lee, Executive Director of FORUM-ASIA, +66 (02) 391 8801, [email protected]; Shekh Mohammad Rahman, South Asia Programme Officer, +66 (02) 391 8801 ex 205, [email protected]
