My wife says I talk too much and invite trouble. On May 11, 2007, her observation was confirmed: I “invited” trouble by talking too much against the military-backed interim government in Bangladesh. With a midnight ring of my doorbell, three or four plainclothes men — who identified themselves as the “joint forces” — entered my Dhaka apartment, detained me without charge, and seized my passport, cell phones, computers and documents. I was threatened at gun-point while my wife, holding my six-month-old son, watched. I was pushed into a car, blindfolded and handcuffed.
Tag Archive for 'Human Rights'
To enjoy the protection of the law, and to be treated in accordance with law, and only in accordance with law, is the inalienable right of every citizen, wherever he may be, and of every other person for the time being within Bangladesh, and in particular no action detrimental to the life, liberty, body, reputation or property of any person shall be taken except in accordance with law.
Constitution of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, Article 31.
No person shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman, or degrading punishment or treatment.
Constitution of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, Article 35.
Although technically you may call it extra-judicial — I will not say killing — but extra-judicial deaths. But these are not killings. According to RAB, they say all those who have been killed so far have been killed or dead on encounter or whatever crossfire, whatever you call it — people are happy.
Moudud Ahmed, former law minister, in an interview with NPR.
It was a question from a sister to the person who ordered her brother’s killing: “My brother, before you murdered him, did he have any last wish, any last word?” Jahanara Begum Rubi caught Lieutenant Colonel Emdad off-guard. The commander of RAB-7 in Chittagong was visibly shaken and kept mum for a minute before breaking the silence: “Our politicians, for them, we have to kill our children.”
Torture by proxy
Continue reading ‘Torture by proxy’