STATEMENT: Enactment of Emergency Rule Has Authorized Law Enforcing Agency to Abuse Human Rights

Adv. Shahanur Islam Saikot Programme Manager-Lrgal & Human Rights 

On 11 January 2007, the army backed caretaker Government declared state of Emergency of Emergency under Article 141A (Proclamation of Emergency) 141B (Suspension of provisions of certain articles during emergencies) of Bangladesh Constitution. Under the said article during state of Emergency Article-36 (Freedom of movement) , Article-37(freedom of assembly) , Article-38 (Freedom of association) , Article-39(Freedom of thought and conscience, and of speech) , Article-40(Freedom of profession or occupation) , Article-42(Rights to property) remain suspend.

STATEMENT:Patronization of Fundamentalist Militant by The Lt. General Masud Uddin Chowdhury is Being Hailed by The Top Leaders of Those Militants

Adv. Shahanur Islam Saikot Programme Manager-Legal & Human Rights 

 On 13 August 2007, the daily Inquilab and many others daily Newspaper published exciting news item that Lt. General Masud Uddin Chwdhury the second senior most Army officer of Bangladesh Army and principal staff officer (p s o) to the Chief adviser stated that there is no fundamentalist terrorist in Bangladesh while he was speaking as a chief guest in a session of developing rule of engagement and combating terrorism held in Dhaka cantonment on 12 august 2007.

STATEMENT:The Present Army Backed Caretaker Gov’t Desiring to Institute a fabricated Case

Adv. Shahanur Islam Saikot Programme Manager-Legal & Human Rights 

 On 21 August 2004, there was massive grenade attack upon the Sheikh Hasina while she was addressing a mammoth gathering at the Bangabundhu Avenue in Dhaka. About 24 persons died on the spot and a few hundred received severe injuries. Sheikh Hasina escaped from death because she was immediately pushed in to her bullet proof Jeep by her party men. But her bulletproof jeep was seriously damager by her bullet shots and grenade splinters.

STATEMENT:Human Rights Abuses against the Former Prime Minister of Bangladesh and President of Bangladesh Awami League Sheikh Hasina

Adv. Shahanur Islam saikot Programme Manager-Legal & Human Rights 

 Sheikh Hasina, the former Prime Minister and President of Bangladesh Awami League was arrested on 16 July 2007 on a false and concocted charge of extortion of money in year of 2000. She is imprisoned in a sub jail and remaining out of contact from outside world. In such situation the anticorruption commission has asked to submit her property statement. As a president of the biggest political parties she was to open several Bank Accounts in various Banks.

STATEMENT:The Continuing Policy of Reforming Political Party by the Present Caretaker Government is Nothing but Eyewash

Adv. Shahanur Islam Saikot Programme Manager-Legal & Human Rights 

 The present caretaker government’s administration is applying double standard using the same law for opposite purposes. The people of Bangladesh asked to the present gov’t ‘How can a political party be launched when all political activities are banned under a state of emergency?” We want to say that the same law could not be used for different purposes—favoring some while suppressing others. Now we are doubt if general elections would be held within the timeline announced by the Election Commission. In previous President of Bangladesh Awami League Sheikh Hasina expressed her doubt whether the polls would be held in time.

STATEMENT:Immediate Withdrawal of Restriction on Political Activities is the Demand of the Moment to Control the Increasing Trend of Fundamentalist

Adv. Shahanur Islam Programme Manager-Legal & Human Rights A fundamentalist terrorist leader

 Mufti Mansurul Huq has been distributing a booklet Captioned “Afghan Zihad” with the call to organize Islamic militants to capture state power like Taliban of Afghanistan (See: Daily “Amader Shomoy” dated 10th July, 2007). Due to the imposition of restriction of secular political activities by the present Caretaker Govt., a political vacuum has been created. This has opened the doors to underground terrorist activities of Taliban-trained Islamic militants in Bangladesh. If the restriction of normal political activities is prolonged and election is delayed the militants will spread their domination among Madrasha students and masses of orthodox rural people. The Taleban of Afghanistan adopted the same tactics to dominate the Madrasha student and rural orthodox mass people.