Sunday July 02 2006 11:12:14 AM BDT
By Zahid Al Amin
When repression and tortures by the law enforcers marked an extreme rise in the country, the United Nations (UN) is going to observe the International Day to voice against the victims of torture and inhuman activities.
Talking to "The Bangladesh Observer", Akram Hossain Chowdhury, country's leading human rights activist, referred to the recent deadly incidence at Kansat and the barbaric attack on journalists in Chittagong. "The incident at Kansat was unimaginable in the present days. But these types of human rights violation have became the regular phenomena," he pointed out.
Chowdhury said that it could be easily understood how the law enforcers dared to swoop on the journalists at Chittagong Divisional stadium.
Akram Hossain Chowdhury, who is also the Executive Member of International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims (IRCT), pointed out different incidences of tortures and harassment by Police, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and other law enforcers and said that there were no political commitments to stop such inhuman activities.
Akram Hossain Chowdhury is the first Bangladeshi, who achieved LML degree on human rights law. He is also the Founder of Bangladesh Rehabilitation Centre for Trauma Victims (BRTC).
He claimed that their research cell found a real picture of tortures by the law enforcing men like beating in custody.
Referring to the treatment and interrogation by the law enforcers in the developed countries, he said that they used modern equipment like detecting machine and pushing injection to delve out the truths of incidents.
According to him, the law enforcing agencies of the country have lack of knowledge on human rights. They must need to be trained on human rights violation and motivation.
The incidents of torture are gradually increasing when the vested quarter of these agencies got shelter of the ruling parties after their criminal activities. He said that government never paid any heed to the sheer violation of human rights.
According to BIHR, approximately 1000 cases are under investigation against the policemen. Of them, about 100 cases are dealt by the BIHR.
It is a matter of strength that the police administration itself investigates the cases filed against them. So, it is very tough to prove the policemen as guilty by themselves.
To ensure proper investigation of the cases against police personnel, lawyers pool could be formed in this connection, Chowdhury added. Apart from this, truth commission or human rights commission also could be formed in this connection that exist in the developed countries.
He thinks, many times, police usually encouraged such criminal activities for economic benefits crisis in addition to political influence and their psychological problems.
Akram Hossain quoted two sensational verdicts of Rokeya Begum versus Shafiqur Rahman and Sayed Ahmed versus state by the High Court in this connection.
Chowdhury said that reservation on the article-14 must be removed unless the victims would never be safe from the police personnel. The government kept the reservation on the act only for avoiding the compensation for the victims.
According to the constitution, all sorts of repression are prohibited. But the ruling as well as the previous governments followed the constitution very often", he said. Chowdhury suggested forming a Parliamentary Committee to execute the convention. It would also help to reform some acts of the convention, he added.
He quoted the Nepalese parliament that approved Torture Act against the torture. Following the approval, the victims are getting compensation and medication from the government.
It seems to him that some people wearing the police uniform are violating human rights. It is also threat to the democracy and development.
If the tortured victims could stand on a platform unanimously, it would be easy to stop the repression by the police personnel, he added.
He said that UN, European Union, Amnesty International, OMCT, HRC, Danish government and many other countries have raised their voice to make the day a success. Bangladesh, has been observing the day since 1998. But the government is not aware enough about the significance of the day.
Observation of the day would be success if the government withdraws the reservation on the article-14 of the convention, said Akram Hossain.
The day will be observed this year highlighting the slogan-Safety against all kinds of torture.
He informed the press that a total of 132 organizations, including 75 Non Government Organizations (NGO), 17 Adapt Chapter, 24 Task Force against Torture (TFT) and 13 victims associations will observe the day with elaborate programmes through out the country
By Zahid Al Amin
Talking to "The Bangladesh Observer", Akram Hossain Chowdhury, country's leading human rights activist, referred to the recent deadly incidence at Kansat and the barbaric attack on journalists in Chittagong. "The incident at Kansat was unimaginable in the present days. But these types of human rights violation have became the regular phenomena," he pointed out.
Chowdhury said that it could be easily understood how the law enforcers dared to swoop on the journalists at Chittagong Divisional stadium.
Akram Hossain Chowdhury, who is also the Executive Member of International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims (IRCT), pointed out different incidences of tortures and harassment by Police, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and other law enforcers and said that there were no political commitments to stop such inhuman activities.
Akram Hossain Chowdhury is the first Bangladeshi, who achieved LML degree on human rights law. He is also the Founder of Bangladesh Rehabilitation Centre for Trauma Victims (BRTC).
He claimed that their research cell found a real picture of tortures by the law enforcing men like beating in custody.
Referring to the treatment and interrogation by the law enforcers in the developed countries, he said that they used modern equipment like detecting machine and pushing injection to delve out the truths of incidents.
According to him, the law enforcing agencies of the country have lack of knowledge on human rights. They must need to be trained on human rights violation and motivation.
The incidents of torture are gradually increasing when the vested quarter of these agencies got shelter of the ruling parties after their criminal activities. He said that government never paid any heed to the sheer violation of human rights.
According to BIHR, approximately 1000 cases are under investigation against the policemen. Of them, about 100 cases are dealt by the BIHR.
It is a matter of strength that the police administration itself investigates the cases filed against them. So, it is very tough to prove the policemen as guilty by themselves.
To ensure proper investigation of the cases against police personnel, lawyers pool could be formed in this connection, Chowdhury added. Apart from this, truth commission or human rights commission also could be formed in this connection that exist in the developed countries.
He thinks, many times, police usually encouraged such criminal activities for economic benefits crisis in addition to political influence and their psychological problems.
Akram Hossain quoted two sensational verdicts of Rokeya Begum versus Shafiqur Rahman and Sayed Ahmed versus state by the High Court in this connection.
Chowdhury said that reservation on the article-14 must be removed unless the victims would never be safe from the police personnel. The government kept the reservation on the act only for avoiding the compensation for the victims.
According to the constitution, all sorts of repression are prohibited. But the ruling as well as the previous governments followed the constitution very often", he said. Chowdhury suggested forming a Parliamentary Committee to execute the convention. It would also help to reform some acts of the convention, he added.
He quoted the Nepalese parliament that approved Torture Act against the torture. Following the approval, the victims are getting compensation and medication from the government.
It seems to him that some people wearing the police uniform are violating human rights. It is also threat to the democracy and development.
If the tortured victims could stand on a platform unanimously, it would be easy to stop the repression by the police personnel, he added.
He said that UN, European Union, Amnesty International, OMCT, HRC, Danish government and many other countries have raised their voice to make the day a success. Bangladesh, has been observing the day since 1998. But the government is not aware enough about the significance of the day.
Observation of the day would be success if the government withdraws the reservation on the article-14 of the convention, said Akram Hossain.
The day will be observed this year highlighting the slogan-Safety against all kinds of torture.
He informed the press that a total of 132 organizations, including 75 Non Government Organizations (NGO), 17 Adapt Chapter, 24 Task Force against Torture (TFT) and 13 victims associations will observe the day with elaborate programmes through out the country
No comments:
Post a Comment