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***

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

FACT FINDING REPORTA Hindu Community Young School Girl has been Escaped with Her Muslim Community Boy Friend to Get Marry


Investigation conducted by       : Adv. Shahanur Islam, Executive Director, BIHR; Adv. Jayonto Kumar, member, District Bar Association, Dinajpur & Tahera Islam, 1st year,  DinajPur Medical College, Dinajpur, volunteer of BIHR.
Date of investigation                     : April 22 to 25, 2010

IDENTITY OF THE VICTIM:
Name                                                 : Ms. Arpana Rani
Age at time of event                      : 17 years 1 month 23 days (according to the registration of School Certificate Examination (SSC)
Under 18                                           : YES
Citizenship                                       : Bangladeshi
Religion                                            : Hindu
Home address                               :Vill: Moupukur, P.S. Birampur, District: Dinajpur, Bangladesh

DATE AND PLACE OF THE INCIDENT:
Date                                                   : 14th March, 2010
Location                                          : Not identified

Monday, April 12, 2010

URGENT ACTION:Brutal gang rape of a 16 year old Hindu girl by at least 8 Muslim men


REFERENCE: BIHR/UA/Patuakhali/01/04/10                             Date:12.04.10

To
Justice (Rtd) Amirul Kabir Chowdhury
Chairman
Bangladesh National Human Rights Commission
House # 6/3, Block # D, Lalmatia, Dhaka
BANGLADESH, Fax: 088-02-9137743

Greetings from Bangladesh Institute of Human Rights (BIHR) 

I am deeply concerned with the news I received from Global Human Rights Defence (GHRD), who, together with Bangladesh Institute of Human Rights (BIHR) have investigated the brutal gang rape of a 16 year old Hindu girl by at least 8 Muslim men on 19th of March. I have learned that several of the perpetrators are involved with the political cadre of Jubo Dal (youth wing of BNP), local Union Unit. It is particularly disturbing that the victim girl is forced to reside with female prisoners at the local jail, in the name of ‘safe custody.’    

URGENT ACTION:5 year old girl who was brutally raped on the 12th of March in a small village in the Narail

REFERENCE: BIHR/UA/Norail/02/04/10                              Date:12.04.10

To
Justice (Rtd) Amirul Kabir Chowdhury
Chairman
Bangladesh National Human Rights Commission
House # 6/3, Block # D, Lalmatia, Dhaka
BANGLADESH
Fax: 088-02-9137743
Email:nhrc.bd@gmail.com

Greetings from Bangladesh Institute of Human Rights (BIHR)

I am deeply concerned about the news received by Global Human Rights Defence( GHRD) about a 5 year old girl who was brutally raped on the 12th of March in a small village in the Narail District at 1.30 a.m.

According to the information I have  received,  the girl was abducted, raped and nearly strangled to death by a 27- year old Muslim man, known from before to have harassed women and children in the locality.  The child was going outside to visit the toilet, when she was abducted and taken to a nearby paddy field where the identified perpetrator brutally raped her. The child’s mouth was covered with a
cloth during the rape hindering her to scream for help.  The perpetrator also tried to kill her after the rape by strangulation, but he was interrupted when the parents of the girl, together with some locals, approached the spot causing him to flee the scene.  The girl was found bleeding in the field with severe injuries as a result of the rape. The child was admitted to the Khulna Medical College Hospital (OCC) were she was treated from the 14th until the 25th of March. The medical certificate prescribed by the co-coordinator of the OCC confirmed that the girl was sexually assaulted.

GHRD has contacted the local police, visited the village and obtained statements from the girl and witnesses. The father filed a complaint at the 13th of March at the Noldi police station, however the police only made a general diary of the case. When GHRD urged them to undertake proper actions, a case was filed on the 15th of March charging the suspect for rape. The man was arrested on the 13th of March and is now in jail custody. The lawyer of the perpetrator filed an application asking for bail, which was denied on the 4th of April.  The case is classified as a rape under section 9(1) of Women and Children Repression Act, 2003.

I am shocked and appalled about this brutal rape against a 5 year old child.  It is particularly disturbing that this is not an isolated event, but despite legislations such as the Women and Children Repression Act, 2003, aimed at protecting children, a high percentage of rape victims in Bangladesh remain children.  Due to social practices, stigma, corruption and denied access to justice, in many of these cases the perpetrators are not brought to justice and the victim is denied essential compensation and rehabilitation.  Families and victims are often threatened by the perpetrators and their allies to withdraw their complaints. Therefore, I encourage the local authorities to continue with the legal process and investigations in this case, and to ensure compensation and rehabilitation is meted to
the girl child.

Specifically, I urge upon the local authorities:

1.      to ensure the exemplary punishment of the perpetrator responsible for this brutal rape

2.      to ensure that the victim receives the necessary legal assistance and medical rehabilitation as required for a full recovery.

3.      to provide adequate financial compensation to the victim’s family as well as guarantee the physical and psychological integrity with full rehabilitation to the family as a whole throughout the legal process.


I trust that immediate action shall be taken and we look forward to your favorably response in this regard.

Thank you.


Yours Sincerely.


Shahanur Islam

--
Shahanur Islam Saikot
LL.B (Hon's); LL.M (Law & Justice)
Advocate

Executive Director
Bangladesh Institute of Human Rights (BIHR)
Flat # B-17, 27, Bijoy Nagar, Dhaka-1000, Bangladesh
Email: saikotbihr@gmail.com, bihr@bangla.net
Cell: + 88 017 20308080, Ph: +88 02 9349851, Fax: + 88 028352166
www.bihr-bihr.blogspot.com, www.brct.org

Saturday, April 3, 2010

News: Work together to combat violence against women

http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=129297

Men, women urged on Int'l Women's Day

 
Samajik Protirod Committee, a platform of 61 organisations, takes out a procession from the Central Shaheed Minar in the city yesterday to mark International Women's Day . Photo: STAR
Rights activists celebrated 100 years of International Women's Day yesterday with a call for men and women to work together to put an end to all forms of violence against women.

Abbas to sue Babar, four others

Staff Correspondent 

Abu Abbas Bhuiyan, the mass education secretary of the Bangladesh Chhatra League’s central committee, will file a case today against five persons including Lutfozzamman Babar, former state minister for home affairs.

   The case will be filed with the court of the chief metropolitan magistrate of Dhaka.

   Abbas was arrested on charge of being involved in the attack on the late Humayun Azad on February 27 in 2004, and was later severely tortured in custody.

NEWS: Garment workers' death condoled

Staff Reporter

Different organisations yesterday expressed shock at the death of 21 garment workers in a fire at a sweater factory in Bhogra of Gazipur on Thursday.

Bangladesh Garments Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) expressed a deep grief for the incident and took decision to give Tk 2 lakh for each family of the deceased. The organisation will also give free medical treatment to injured workers.The BGMEA has taken decision to provide employment in garments factories for the family members of the 21 dead workers. It has declared 3-day mourning programmes.

Leaders of National Garments Workers Federation yesterday at a protest rally at Muktangan demanded compensation of Tk 5 lakh for each of the deceased workers family. Terming the incident as 'killing of workers', they demand arrest the owner of the factory.

Amirul Haque Amin presided over the programme which was addressed, among others, by Safia Parvin, Faruk Khan and Sultana Akter.

Shirin Akter, president of Bangladesh Jatiya Srimak Jote and its general secretary Md Nur Khan, Umme Hasan Jhalmal, president and Mahbuba Akter Lipi, general secretary of Bangladesh Jatiya Nari Sramik Jote, Rokeya Sultana Anju, presidentand SM Masud Rana, general secretary of Bangladesh Jatiya Garments Sramik Jote in a joint statement yesterday expressed a deep shock at the death of garments workers at Gazipur.

HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT by Bangladesh Institute of Human Rights (BIHR) (March 2010)