Update

***French President Hosts Reception for Human Rights Defenders at Élysée Palace***Human Rights Lawyer Shahanur Islam Joins Hands with ARDHIS for Bangladeshi LGBTQI Asylum Seekers in France***New Platform to Fight Discrimination Against LGBTQI+ Community in Bangladesh***Human Rights Advocates Meet with French Ambassador to the Council of Europe ***Bangladesh Needs to Make Further Progress Towards Gender Equality***JusticeMakers Bangladesh calls for justice and protection for religious minorities in Bangladesh***French Human Rights Ambassador Honours HR Defenders at Paris***JusticeMakers Bangladesh is deeply concerned over the harassment against student of Islamic University in Bangladesh***JusticeMakers Bangladesh urges to withdraw the ban of Prity's book "Jonmo O Jonir Itihas" immediately***JusticeMakers Bangladesh expresses deep concern, condemnation and protest over the vandalism 14 Hindu temples in Thakurgaon***JusticeMakers Bangladesh deeply concern over the threat of crossfire to the lawyer Aminul Gani Tito in Dhaka***JusticeMakers Bangladesh gravely concerns over the attacked on CEO of BELA***JusticeMakers Bangladesh gravely concerns over the disappearance of lawyer in Dhaka***JusticeMakers Bangladesh Urges Immidiate Release of Arrested Transgenders in Dhaka***JusticeMakers Bangladesh concerns over viciously attacked on lawyer Abdur Rashid Mollah at Dhaka***JusticeMakers Bangladesh gravely concerned over attacked on indigenous people at Bogura***JusticeMakers Bangladesh welcomes the decision of Metropolitan Magistrate to acquit four Transgenders in Dhaka***JusticeMakers Bangladesh Protests and concerns Over the Abduction and Torture of Two Trans-women in Meherpur***Shahanur Islam attended the 21st World Summit on Participatory Democracy at Grenoble, France***

Thursday, April 23, 2009

CASE STUDY : Police Brutality on Mr. Abdur Razzak By the Policemen

Shahanur Islam Saikot* 
Introduction: Abdur Razzaque fell victim of police torture for his alleged involvement in a stealing, which he denied. Razzaque wanted to bring the perpetrator of torture under book but did not get any assistance from lawyers. But he got assistance from the BIHR to bring the perpetrator of torture under law. 

CASE STUDY:Police Brutality on Mr. Aminul Islam Shahin

Shahanur Islam Saikot*
Introduction: Mr. Aminul Ism Shahin, amerororias student of Cumpure science of Queens University of Dhaka and Organizing secretary of Bangladesh Student League (student wing of Bangladesh Awami League) of Barishal Upazila unit was brutally tortured by the policemen influencing by some of his rival due to protest the unholy love affairs of his uncle. He was taken physical and psychological treatment from BRCT and also legal assistance from BIHR to file case against the perpetrators.

Thursday, April 16, 2009

FACT FINDING REPORT: A Prominent Human Rights Defender in Bangladesh Has Been Intimidated by DGFI Field Officer.

Date: April 16, 2009 
 Fact Finding Case: BIHR-HRD-03-09
Bangladesh Institute of Human Rights has been conducted a fact finding mission by its high level team from April 13 to 15, 2009 regarding to intimidation of Mr. Shahanur Islam Secretary General and Executive Director of the Bangladesh Centre for Human Rights and Development (BCHRD), Coordinator of Centre for Human Rights Fact Finding & Research (CHFR), Programme Manager of Legal and Human Rights Affairs at the Bangladesh Institute of Human Rights (BIHR) and Bangladesh Rehabilitation Centre for Trauma Victims (BRCT), as well as a member of the Bangladesh Bar Council and Bar Association in Dhaka District by the Filed Officer of (Sub Inspector Level Official) of Directorate General Forces of Intelligence (DGFI), while he was waiting for speaking with Media men after filing a petition case on charging attempt to murder by torturing with the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court (CMM) Dhaka against three men including a Major of Army. According to the information received, there was no action taken by the police authorities. 

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

NEWS: A Businessman in Dhaka Sues against Joint Forces Man with the Legal Help of Bangladesh Institute of Human Rights (BIHR)

A businessman, who was brutally tortured by the joint forces during the period of caretaker government, filed a case against Mejor Sarwar, who was under duty of 17, East Bengle Regiment, Dhaka and other two civilians his cousin Saiful Islam and the latter’s associate Abdus Samad, on charge of attempt to murder by torturing him during the emergency regime with the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court, Dhaka under section 323, 324, 325, 326, 307, 506, 109 and 34 on April 13, 2009 with the legal help the human rights organization “Bangladesh Institute of Human Rights (BIHR)”. Md. Samsuddin Ahmed, proprietor of M/S Samsuddin Overseas in his complaint stated that, on July 26 2007, around at 1.30 p.m. a team comprising six members of army led by Maj. Sarwar who was on plain clothes along with Abdus samad and Saiful went to his office, 64/4, Naya Paltan, Dhaka and beat him mercilessly while he was doing his regular business job. Then, he was picked up and took him to the temporary camp of joint forces at Paltan Community Centre and again he was brutally tortured there by kicking with boot, slapping, beating with iron road, baton without any reason.

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

"Death threats against Mr. Shahanur Islam Saikot

23.03.2009 - Source:World Organisation Against Torture "Death threats against Mr. Shahanur Islam Saikot [BGD 001 / 0309 / OBS 051]" Human rights activist Shahanur Islam Saikot receives death threats [ID 117294] Document(s): Open document

NEWS: Torture During Emergency: Army officer, 2 others sued

The Daily Star: Tuesday, April 14, 2009 
Torture During Emergency: Army officer, 2 others sued 
Court Correspondent 
 An attempted murder case was filed yesterday against an army major and two others with the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's (CMM) Court of Dhaka. Mohammad Shamsuddin Ahmed, proprietor of M/S Shahmsuddin Overseas, filed the case against the three on charges of attempting to murder him in their custody during the state of emergency in 2007. This is the first time a case has been filed against an army officer for torturing in custody. After the hearing, Metropolitan Magistrate Kanika Biswas recorded the statement of complainant, took it into cognisance and did not pass any order on the issue. The accused in the case are Major Sarwar and two civilians Abdus Samad and Md Saiful Islam. In his complaint, Shamsuddin mentioned that Maj Sarwar, Samad and Saiful picked him up from his Nayapaltan office on July 26 in 2007 and took him to the temporary army camp at Paltan Community Centre where they tortured him mercilessly without any reason. The plaintiff alleged that he lost his sense after the torture and was shifted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) for treatment as his condition was deteriorating. Later, he was shown arrested in a criminal case filed with Paltan Police Station on July 26, 2007 even though his name was not in the first information report (FIR). He was released on bail on August 6, 2007. Moreover, the investigation officer submitted a final report saying that the charges brought against him (plaintiff) were not proved, complainant said. Adv. Shahanur Islam Saikot, Programme manager of Legal & Human Rights affairs at Bangladesh Institute of Human Rights moved the case on behalf of the complainant.

NEWS:Businessman sues army major for torture during emergency

The Daily Janakontha, Date: April 14, 2009

NEWS:Businessman sues army major for torture during emergency

The Daily Karatoa, Date: April 14, 2009

NEWS:Businessman sues army major for torture during emergency

Amader Shomoy, Date: April 14, 2009

NEWS: Businessman sues joint forces men over 'torture'

Businessman sues joint forces men over 'torture' 
The Independent, Date: April 14, 2009
 A businessman, who said he was tortured by the joint forces during the caretaker government's rule, filed a case yesterday against Major Sarwar and two others. Md Shamsuddin Ahmed filed the case with the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court at around 10:30am. According to case details, on July 26, 2007 Maj Sarwar along with six to seven other members of the joint forces in plainclothes went to Shamsuddin's Naya Paltan office and beat him up. He said they took him to a joint force's makeshift camp at Paltan Community Centre and further tortured him there. Shamsuddin was first admitted to Rajarbagh Police Line Hospital. As his condition worsened he was later taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital. The case was not filed that time due to the state of emergency, Shamsuddin said. Human-rights organisation Bangladesh Institute of Human Rights's lawyer Shahnur Islam Saikot assisted the plaintiff in filing the case.

NEWS: Businessman sues joint forces men over 'torture'

Businessman sues joint forces men over 'torture'

bdnews24.com: Mon, Apr 13th, 2009 1:10 pm BdST

Dhaka, Apr 13 (bdnews24.com) – A businessman, who said he was tortured by the joint forces during the caretaker government's rule, filed a case Monday against Major Sarwar and two others.

Md Shamsuddin Ahmed filed the case with the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court at around 10:30am.
According to case details, on July 26, 2007 Maj Sarwar along with six to seven other members of the joint forces in plainclothes went to Shamsuddin's Naya Paltan office and beat him.

NEWS:Businessman sues army major for torture during emergency


New Age; Date: April 15, 2009

Staff Correspondent A manpower trader on Monday sued major Sarwar, an army officer, his cousin Saiful Islam and the latter’s associate Abdus Samad, on charge of torturing him during the emergency regime. The businessman, Shamsuddin Ahmed, filed the case with Dhaka chief metropolitan magistrate’s court. Shamsuddin in his complaint stated that a team of joint forces in plainclothes and led by major Sarwar, along with Saiful and Samad, had raided his Naya Paltan office on July 26, 2007 and beaten him up mercilessly. They took him to a makeshift camp of the joint forces at the Paltan Community Centre and tortured him again there. ‘As I fainted because of the torture, I was first admitted to the Rajarbagh Police Line Hospital and shifted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital when my condition deteriorated,’ Shamsuddin told the magistrate. The joint forces later handed Shamsuddin over to the Paltan Police to show him arrested in a fraud case filed with the police station by Saiful on July 26, 2007. Shamsuddin was released on bail on August 6, 2007. On February 2, 2008, Shamsuddin was acquitted by metropolitan magistrate Golam Rabbani of the fraud charges after investigation officer Ikramul Haque, sub-inspector of the Paltan police station, had submitted the final report in the case, Shamsuddin said. Explaining the delay in filing the case, Shamsuddin told the court, ‘I could not file the case against the army officer when a state of emergency was in force fearing more torture.’

Human Rights lawyer Shahnur Islam Saikot, on behalf of the Bangladesh Institute of Human Rights (BIHR), appeared for Shamsuddin.

Thursday, April 9, 2009

CASE STUDY:Police Brutality on Mr. Abu Abbas Bhuiyan

Adv. Shahanur Islam Saikot* 
Introduction: Abu Abbas Bhuiyan, student of Dhaka university and also Secretary of Mass Education affairs in Central Committe of Bangladesh student league was victimized in torture by the police official directing by the ruling party (then state minister for home affairs) due to his activities as a central leader of Bangladesh Student League as well as implicated false and fabricate cases. Discharging from the allegation that was bring up against him as well as got cure, he was filed case against the policeme /Perpetrators in Chief Metropalitan Magistrate Court, Dhaka that No. P- 1185 of 2008 on 05 March 2008 under section of 323/324/325/326/306506/109/34 of the Penal Code with the assistance of Bangladesh Institute of Human Rights (BIHR). 

Sunday, April 5, 2009

URGENT APPEAL: Doodsbedreigingen aan dhr. Shahanur Islam Saikot

1 april 2009
Doodsbedreigingen aan dhr. Shahanur Islam Saikot
Urgente Acties ACAT NETHERLANDS
Action of Christians for the Abolition of Torture and Capital Punishment.
Mr. Sheikh Hasina
Prime Minister
Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh
Office of the Prime Minister
Tejgaon
DHAKA
BANGLADESH
… - 04 – 09. Dear Prime Minister,
As a member of ACAT Netherlands I am very concerned about threats received by Mr. Shahanur Islam Saikot, Secretary General and Executive Director of the Bangladesh Centre for Human Rights and Development (BCHRD), Programme Manager of Legal and Human Rights Affairs at the Bangladesh Institute of Human Rights (BIHR) and Bangladesh Rehabilitation Centre for Trauma Victims (BRCT), as well as a member of the Bangladesh Bar Council and Bar Association in Dhaka District.
I urgently ask you:

Saturday, April 4, 2009

URGENT APPEAL: Seeking Information under Section 6 of the Right to Information Act.

Court Fee Stamp Rs. 10/- To 30 March 2009 The Public Information Officer High Court at Calcutta Kolkata Attn. The Registrar, Calcutta High Court Ref.:-Seeking Information under Section 6 of the Right to Information Act. Respectable Sir, We have gathered information that number prisoners including foreign nationals booked under the Foreigners Act have been perishing in different jails/ correctional homes in West Bengal for years. We came to know that many of them either had been acquitted by the concerned trial court or spent their period of conviction but still they are under detention. Those persons are under detention in custody illegally as Jan Khalas and there is no bona fide approach from any corner towards the release and/or repatriation of those persons till date. A detention becomes unlawful where there is no law to justify it but also where procedure prescribed by law which authorizes the detention has not been followed.