"Probably the worst country in the world"

How do you define a country's status as the world's most maligned? With Bangladesh, there are countless examples of stupid-debauchery.

A Bangladeshi brother had advised me on this country's senseless indulgence in sensual pleasures. He said, "Bangladesh is a country of immoral and ignorant morons, who have never conquered a foreign-land..,". Although I disagreed on his remark, a recent incident has made me re-think the value of this statement.

Barrister Rizwan Hussain, who is a noted tv-personality and dedicated charity-worker in the UK, recently (14th April) escaped from the evil grips of the unruly Bangladeshi armed-forces. Local community channels in the UK, have been constantly repeating their calls for the "Justice for Barrister Rizwan Hussain".

As per tv-reports, the wayfarer Rizwan had decided to speak against the injustices suffered by the general-passengers at Dhaka airport; which is often said to be the most dis-organized and corrupt airport in the world.

In return for his honesty, several members of the Bangladeshi armed-forces decided to teach him a memorable-lesson in physical-pain.

They prowled around him like vicious hyenas. He was taken to a suitable environment for third-degree treatment and tortured for hours, until they realized that he may be a little influential to totally get rid-off. Killing innocent passengers in public by members of authority is nothing new at Dhaka airport.

In the mid 90s, I remember an innocent-soul (Surat Miah) from Teeside being murdered by airport staff in Dhaka. Mr. Rizwan Hussain's experience is just another example of this senseless-deprivation.

I recently drafted an article entitled, "Fuck Bangladesh", and was sometimes perturbed as I belonged to this culture of impunity. Although, it now seems okay and I am ashamed for not finding a more suitable-title for that article.

Truly Bangladesh, you never fail to amaze me!

Facebook Group: Justice for Rizwan Hussain!

Via Bangladesh-Blogger

Bangladesh War-Crimes: Part two

In 1972, the president of Bangladesh issued an order which established special tribunals to prosecute Bangladeshi citizens who had collaborated with the Pakistani armed forces during 1971. Thereafter, India and Bangladesh agreed to bring criminal charges against certain Pakistani prisoners of war held by India.

In anticipation of these trials, Bangladesh Published Act No. XIX of 1973, which was entitled "An Act to provide for the detention, prosecution and punishment of persons for genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and other crimes under international law."

As Bangladesh prepared for the prosecution, Pakistan filed an action before the International Court of Justice. The basis of Pakistan's action against India was predicated on the grounds that India had detained 92,000 Pakistani prisoners of war in violation of the third and fourth Geneva Conventions of 1949.

Pakistan claimed that pursuant to these conventions, India had the duty to repatriate these persons at the conclusion of the conflict. However, India did not continue the repatriation of the detainees that it had begun in 1972, because it claimed that it had agreed with Bangladesh to surrender to that country those persons whose number exceeded ten thousand, and who were to be charged with genocide. By 1973, the exact number was fixed at 195.

Via Bangladesh-Blogger

> Bangladesh War-Crimes: Part one

Image Day - Kashmiri Rights

An elderly activist attends a protest rally in Srinagar, held to protest against alleged human-rights violations by Indian troops in Kashmir. Amnesty-International has urged India to launch an urgent-investigation into nearly 1,000 unmarked graves found in the revolt-hit region of Kashmir.

> Getty Images

Bangladesh War-Crimes: Part one

In 1971, Golam Azam, then chief of East Pakistan wing of the Jamaat-i-Islami, actively collaborated with the Pakistani military junta and helped organize paramilitary forces (called Razakars and al-Badrs) that were akin to killing squads. In the last days of the liberation war, Golam Azam fled to Pakistan.

In February 1972, the government issued a subpoena to Golam Azam to appear before a local court. Later, the Bangladesh government canceled his citizenship (along with that of thirty-eight others) on April 18, 1973.

After the liberation of Bangladesh, Golam Azam took refuge in Saudi Arabia and the UK and engaged in anti-Bangladesh propaganda.

After the coup d'etat of 1975 and the political changes that ensued, Azam attempted to return to Bangladesh. After several failed attempts, he finally succeeded in 1978 and on July 11 re-entered Bangladesh.

Golam Azam's return was made possible by a series of steps taken by the military regime. But the atmosphere for change in legal provisions that finally resulted in his return was created during the reign of Mujib.

Via Bangladesh-Blogger

> Bangladesh War-Crimes: Part two

Juvenile-Justice in Bangladesh: Part one

As in many countries, the situation of children coming into conflict with the law is an issue of serious concern in Bangladesh. The Committee on the Rights of the Child in its concluding observations of 2003 expressed its concern over "the limited progress achieved in establishing a functioning justice system".

In the absence of a proper functioning juvenile system, no accurate statistical information is available on the actual number of children in conflict with law.

The 1974 Children Act is the main law concerning children in Bangladesh, but it deals both with children in need of protection/care as well as children in conflict with the law. Other laws, such as the Penal Code, the Code of Criminal Procedure, also contain provision regarding children in conflict with the law.

Related Link: Children's Voices

Key Statistics

• Child population (under 18 years) - 59.5 million
• Minimum age of criminal responsibility - 9 years
• Age when children can be tried as adults - 16 years
• Number of child development centres - 3

Via Bangladesh-Blogger

> Image by Ahmed Sharif

The Torture of Tasneem Khalil

The torture of journalist Tasneem Khalil by Bangladesh's notorious military intelligence agency highlights abuses under the country's state of emergency and the government's failure, Human Rights Watch has said in a new report.

The 39-page report, "The Torture of Tasneem Khalil", graphically details Khalil's 22-hour ordeal in May 2007 in Bangladesh's clandestine detention and torture system -- a setup well known to the government & ordinary Bangladeshis.

"Rampant illegal detention and torture are clear evidence of Bangladesh's security forces running amok," said Brad Adams, of Human Rights Watch.

"Bangladesh's international friends need to make the eradication of torture a top priority in their relations with Bangladesh," said Adams.

Excerpts from Tasneem Khalil's statement:
"[A member of the arresting party] jumped up from the chair, pulled out a revolver, pushed it against my lips, and started shouting, 'You are under arrest.' I started shouting back, telling them that what they were doing was illegal."

"Then they asked me about my connections with Human Rights Watch. I told them I work as their consultant. When they inquired further, I told them I had worked with Human Rights Watch since 2006. I worked with Human Rights Watch on a report about extrajudicial killings by RAB. That suddenly infuriated them so much that all of them started hitting the table with hands and sticks and started shouting at me. 'How dare you write against our brothers in RAB?"

"They started beating me again mercilessly, from all possible directions with hands and batons and kicks. I said I would not do those things again. But one person said I had already 'made the blunder'."

Via Bangladesh-Blogger

Image Day - Freedom for Kashmir?

Mother of Ruhullah-Bhat, a militant commander, clings to her son's body as it is carried during the funeral procession at Frisal, 60 km south of Srinagar.

> AP Images

Image Day - India's Republic Day

Republic-Day marks the adoption of India's constitution in 1950. Soldiers in colourful headgear marched smartly, while India's weapons were also on display.

Via BBC

Image Day - Jammu & Kashmir

An Indian security-personnel stands guard on a house-boat in Srinagar, India, Thursday, Jan. 24, 2008. Security has been beefed up in the insurgency-hit state of Jammu and Kashmir for the 59th Republic-Day celebration on Jan. 26.

> AP-Image

Student-protest continues in Bangladesh

Students have continued their protests in Dhaka against the leakage of question-papers for exams under the National-University.

Students of Dhaka-College on Tuesday took to the streets and blocked traffic on Mirpur-Road. "The students should not pay for this kind of errors, which is a fault of the authorities." they demanded.

Via Bangladesh-Blogger

Bangladeshi child-rape-victim released

A nine-year-old rape victim who has spent six-months in a Bangladeshi jail, has been released following a national-outcry over her-plight.

"She was kept in jail for the convenience of the investigation, because if she was given to her mother; she might not have been found for the court hearing," said Jesmin Ara Rosy, of the Bangladesh National Women Lawyers' Association.

"Whenever I went to the jail, she cried and begged me to take her out. I met the judge four times to ask for her release," Rosy told AFP.

The girl was finally sent to a shelter on Tuesday, she added, after the head of the army, General Moeen U. Ahmed, intervened.

Via Inquirer.net

A Question-of-Honours

The National-University of Bangladesh, has formed a committee to probe the leakege of question-papers for 2nd-Year Honours-English Compulsory-Exams.

The investigation-team is headed by NU-syndicate member Enamul Haque Shaheed, who has been asked to submit its report in seven working days.

At a meeting, chaired by its acting Vice-Chancellor Syed Rashidul Hasan, NU decided to form the probe-committee and announced that the postponed exams, would now be held on January 29/30, sources-said.

Student Protests
Students of Dhaka-College and Eden-College yesterday formed human-chains and demonstrated on the streets of Dhaka, after the revelations.


"We are suffering because of the frequent question-leaks, but the authorities are yet to take any steps," said a demonstrating-student.

Via Bangladesh-Blogger

Desi-Digest: 50 years on remand

A man has been released from prison in Sri Lanka after being held on remand for 50 years without conviction. Mr James was released on bail with the court's apologies.

DP James was 30 years old when he was arrested for stabbing and wounding his father and sent to jail. He is now 80.

It was an extraordinary case for the Magistrates Court at Kurunegala in Sri-Lanka, an 80-year-old man appearing for a bail hearing after-50 years.

Via BBC

Amnesty pushes Bangladesh

Amnesty International's Secretary General told a meeting of NGOs in Bangladesh that the organisation is in the country to push for reform.

Irene Khan said "as Amnesty International’s Secretary General and a Bangladeshi, I feel there is a window of opportunity that can turn the trend from which this-country has suffered. In this country, there has been a culture of impunity."

"This culture of impunity goes back to 1971; we feel it is an institutional problem. There needs to be a strong independent judiciary, police-reform, action to address torture and ill-treatment."

She said that the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and the military need to be held accountable for human rights violations, that there needs to be an effective National Human Rights Commission and freedom of information legislation.

Via Bangladesh Blogger