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INBANGLADESH: SERIES OF
SABOTAGE BY THE PROGOVERNMENT THUGS
Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION.................................................. ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED.
PRO-GOVT. PEOPLE CAUGHT RED-HANDED ACROSS THE COUNTRY ............. 5
Jessore: AL activist accused of fire truck in blockade ...................................................................................... 5
Comilla: BCL-men caught red-handed while hurling bombs........................................................................... 6
Feni: Ruling Party, Awami League leaders nephew caught with petrol bombs ............................................ 6
Chapainawabganj: 44 petrol bombs recovered from AL leaders home ......................................................... 7
Narsingdi: AL leaders son arrested with petrol bombs ................................................................................... 7
Dhaka: Police redeemed the suspect of cocktail attack ..................................................................................... 7
Chittagong: Two Jubo League Men held with Bombs ...................................................................................... 8
Chuadanga: Jubo League Activist Seized with Bomb ....................................................................................... 8
Narayanganj: Four members of Chatra League injured while making bombs .............................................. 9
Comilla: Juba League men released hours after arrest with petrol bombs .................................................. 10
Rajshahi: Liability of bomb-attack admitted by RU Chhatra League .......................................................... 11
Feni: 4 Jubo Leaguea Activist burnt while making bomb .............................................................................. 11
Pabna: 2 Jubo League activists injured while making Bomb ......................................................................... 12
Chittagong: Police Seized 10 Petrol Bombs from AL Office........................................................................... 12
Barishal: Gun, billhooks seized from BCL students' mess ..................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Bogra: AL activist injured while making bomb at home ................................................................................ 14
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RECOMMENDATION ......................................................................................................... 23
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The Backdrop
In Bangladesh, a countrywide blockade called by 20-party alliance has been going on since
5th January 2015 in demand of a fresh election. On the other hand, the autocratic Govt. has
been escalating its ruthless drive on the opposition activists and leaders and committing
extra-judicial killing, enforced disappearance on regular basis.
One of the most disturbing and horrifying feature of the latest political unrest is the
widespread usage of Molotov Cocktails, popularly known in Bangladesh as Petrol Bombs.
These handheld weapons have been used before in Bangladeshi street protests, but not in this
level. Over sixty people have died since January 5 from arson attacks by unknown
miscreants. Police have imposed an ban on vehicles to move in the highways after 9:00 pm.
These attacks on general people have been vehemently criticized from all squares of
Bangladesh, including the opposition and civil societies. However, the AL regime directly
pointed fingers towards the opposition activists as responsible for those killings, and initiated
to tackle the situation with full executive force. As a result, more than 30 people have been
killed on the name of crossfire or gunfight. Combing operation for searching the
miscreants caused looting, vandalizing and mass-arresting general or pro-opposition people
in Rangpur, Chapainababganj, Comilla, Noakhali and many other districts. So far, over
18,000 people have been arrested, and many went missing. Yet, the petrol bomb attacks on
buses, trucks and other vehicles are not stopping.
In this situation, a number of incidents have been published on national newspapers that
proves that pro-Govt. people are involved in these arson attacks and in some cases they have
been arrested by police though later released in the order of Govt.
Therefore a valid belief has been grown up in peoples mind that, when the blockade program
of 20-party alliance has received mass support, the Govt. is probably trying to vilify the
4|Page
image of movement by conducting sabotage acts with the help of state agencies, ruling-party
leaders and activists. The involvement of Pro-Govt. people (Awami League, Jubo League,
Chhatra League etc) has been proved several times, but the Govt. and some media houses
seem to hide these facts and are blaming 20-party-alliance for the subversive acts.
This report is designed to include some sabotage acts committed by pro-Govt forces. All the
incidents mentioned hereafter have been collected from various newspapers or news-portals
of the country.
The leader alleged that, because of speaking against the drug business, some of the corrupt
officials of the administration collude with police filed the case against him to harass only.
In a press conference at Jessore Press Club, Mojibur alleged these. Earlier, he with the local
people submitted a memorandum to the SP to withdraw the cases.
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But, the DSB Fayez Ahmed told, if crime is happened, it doesnt matter whether the criminal
is of AL or BNP. After the investigation, if he found innocent, he would get rid of all these
cases. Otherwise, proper steps should be taken.1
Feni: Ruling Party, Awami League leaders nephew caught with petrol bombs
On 25th January 2015 (Sunday), police detained local Awami League leaders nephew
Azimuddin (27) from his house with 7 petrol bomb kept beside the Feni telephone exchange
house. Arrested Azim, is the nephew of Feni local Awami League Secretary General Abdul
Karim and son of Farid Ahmed.
He was detained on a special raid led by police prompted by an anonymous tipoff. Police
informed that they recovered 7 petrol bomb, 1cocktail bomb and local arms based on the
seized information. Area (Zila) police Superintendent Rezaul went to the location to monitor
the search operation.3
banglamail24.com
http://www.rtnn.net/bangla//newsdetail/detail/1/4/98130#.VL03bl4gKB
http://www.sheershanews.com/2015/01/25/66487
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On January 28, 2015 the detective branch of police arrested the son of a Awami
Muktijodhdha League leader at Sonar Bangla market of Madhabdi municipality in Narsingdi
and recovered five petrol bombs from him.
The arrested was identified as Md Masum, 22, son of Nuralapur union Awami Muktijoddha
League vice president Zehar Ali. Police, quoting local people, said Masum was a miscreant.
A case was filed with the Narsingdi sadar police in this connection, police said.5
http://www.dinkalonline.net/front/news/142236466616735
http://newagebd.net/90235/al-leaders-son-arrested-with-petrol-bombs/#.dpuf
7|Page
http://www.samakal.net/2015/02/02/116316
http://progressbangladesh.com/two-jubo-league-men-held-with-bombs-in-chittagong/
http://www.samakal.net/2015/02/05/116875 and http://insidebd.net/news/2015/02/05/details/3052
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Regarding this issue, Rupganj Thana Chatra League leader Hafizur Rahman Shojib briefed
jounalists that those involved were not from the Chatra league. I have not seen them in any
Chatra league or Awami league programs or rallies, he said.9
Comilla: Juba League men released hours after arrest with petrol bombs
On February 4, 2015 (Wednesday), police set free two Awami Juba League activists a few
hours after the police arrested them with petrol bombs at Jagannathdighi of Chauddagram
upazila in Comilla.
Local people alleged that the police arrested the ruling Awami League-baked youth
organisations Jagnnath union unit president Manik its activist Babul in Keskir crossing area
at Jagannathdighi at about 10:00pm with petrol bombs and later took them to Chauddagram
police station.
The police, however, said that they recovered some petrol bombs from behind Maniks
house, not from his possession. Miscreants might have kept the bombs behind Maniks
house in a bid to implicate him in the crime and that is why we have released them,
Chauddagram police station officer-in-charge Uttam Kumar Chakrabarti told media on
Thursday. He said that the Juba League men were released on Wednesday evening.
Its notable that, at least seven people, including two women, were burnt alive and 26 others
sustained burn injuries in a firebomb attack on a bus on Dhaka-Chittagong highway at
Jagamohanpur of Chouddagram upazila on early Tuesday.10
http://mzamin.com/details.php?mzamin=NjI0NjU%3D&s=MQ%3D%3D#.VNNaByUH7MA.facebook
10
http://newagebd.net/92758/juba-league-men-released-hours-after-arrest-with-petrol-bombs#sthash.DBhKGebq.dpuf
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abandoned poultry farm near Laxmipur Govt. Primary School on Satuday afternoon. Around
4.30 an explosion takes place and burns the bomb makers. The explosion sound spread panic.
Local arrive at the spot and rescue injured Saiful (32), Ripon (35), Shah Alam( 28) and Jamal
11
http://www.jugantor.com/current-news/2015/02/05/216060#sthash.vMXwUTvm.dpuf
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(25). Victims were sent to Feni. Saiful and Ripon were admitted to Feni Sadar Hospital. The
others are taking treatment on their own.
Senior Police Super (Circle) Md. Shamsul Alam Sarkar confirmed he incident.12
Pabna: 2 Jubo League activists injured while making Bomb
On February 6, 2015 (Friday) at Pabna, 2 activists of Jubo League were injured while making
bomb, one lost his wrists of both hands at the explosion of the bomb.
Police recovered gunpowder and bomb-making materials from the scene. 4 people were
arrested on suspicion of involvement in the incident.At noon on Friday, this incident occurred
at Dharmagram in Ataikula Thana.Mangal Pramanik was admitted into Pabna general
Hospital with serious injuries.
Police said that, Mangal Pramanik and Rashidul Islam were making bomb in a fish farm of
Rubel Hossen at Friday noon. Suddenly bomb exploded and Mangal Pramanik lost his wrists,
on the other hand, Rashidul got injured in his leg. Local people rescued them and sent to the
Pabna General Hospital with serious injuries. OC of Ataikula Police station confirmed the
incident and said, injured are of the extremist groups. This is happened while making bomb
with the intension of sabotage. He told, insurgency has been beefed up to planners of
subversion.13
12
13
http://www.dailynayadiganta.com/details.php?nayadiganta=MTU3OA%3D%3D&s=MjM%3D#sthash.bSiqkcD1.dpuf
http://www.amadershomoys.com/newsite/2015/02/06/208041.htm#.VNuHeCwpe0p
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14
http://www.sheershanews.com/2015/02/08/68092
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former member of BCL Barisal city unit, and his associates Palash Chandra, Sushanta
Biswas, Shimul Bepari, Rajib Hossain, and Sohel.
Rab Commander Captain Abul Bashar said the elite force, acting on a tip-off, raided the
students' mess in Ichhathi area under Ward No 29 and arrested the BCL man and his five
associates.
They seized one shooter gun, two cartridges, eight billhooks, nine mobile sets and one stolen
motorcycle
from
the
possession
of
the
arrestees,
the
commander
said.
The BCL man was involved in drug peddling, illegal toll collection and other criminal
activities, Rab sources said.
Rab handed over the five to Barisal Airport Police Station. They were later produced Barisal
Metropolitan Magistrate's court that sent them to jail.15
name of the injured was Shohag (22). He is a Jubo league leader, the youth organization of
Awami League. He is also the the son of Shafikul Islam from the Boro Dhawa village of the
15
http://www.thedailystar.net/gun-billhooks-seized-from-students-mess-63893
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Gokul union in Bogra District. He is also the nephew of the local Awami league ward
secretary Mr. Gani. Shohag himself is also the joint secretary of the local ward Awami
League.
Local sources said he was injured while making a bomb on Tuesday, 10th February 2015, at
around 3.00 pm. He had been rushed to a clinic and has lost a few nails in the blast. A relative
has confirmed that he has been admitted to a clinic, but is reluctant to disclose the details. But
sources have confirmed he was first rushed to the TMSS Refatullah Community Hospital,
and from there under police protection he was admitted to Ziaur Rahman Bogura Medical
College. It is alleged that the police were trying to protect his identity by registering him
incognito under a different alias.
This incident is one of the incidents where governing party loyalists are either caught or are
injured with bombs. In the murky political situation prevailing in the country, such incidents
are adding to the confusion as to who is actually behind the violence on the streets which has
claimed more than 50 lives already.16
16
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Awami League, the ruling party has a history to conduct such sabotage acts in past. Earlier,
the activists of the ruling party were caught red-handed while committing arson attack in
order to vilify the image of the oppositions movement. For example, on January 1, 2014
(Wednesday) police arrested 3 BCL activists form the Parnanduali Bus Terminal area in
Magura. Police confirmed that they were trying to arson a bus. They were arrested. The
arrestees are district BCL's religious affairs secretary Sajjadur Molla (24) and worker Rana
(22) and Limon (19). Two bottle of petrol and a match were found with them.
Police sources told, the three men were trying to set a fire on the vehicles plying on the
Dhaka-Chittagong highway by throwing petrol at about 8 oclock besides the bus terminal. At
that time, police caught them on the spot.17
17
http://goo.gl/jo0J78
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This is not just an incident of Mohammodpur, rather a incident across the country where
hundreds of arrestees are redeemed by the certificate of Awami League leaders. And those
leaders are taking a large sum of money by giving this certificate, sometimes they are giving
it because of their relationship. Law enforcement officials are being disappointed with these
repeated acts. They also informed the higher authority about it. The officials told, if the
leaders do not stop to deliver the certificate, it is impossible to get the accused to the court.
Moreover, many of them are getting involved in violence after the bail.18
18
http://www.bd-pratidin.com/lead-news/2015/02/06/61121#sthash.SAnBy6NE.dpuf
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highway
in
Chouddagram upazila of Comilla. Among the deceased, five males and two females were
burnt dead on the spot. Six were admitted to DMCH and two of them were in critical
condition.
But the mockery was that, the police reached the spot immediately after the fire incident. But
their roles were described to be mysteriously passive by the victims. A bus passenger
described the bus firebombing incident in a Live interview on Bangladeshi private television
19
http://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/2015/feb/07/petrol-bomb-attack-killed-3-including-child-burnt-25-gaibandha0#sthash.1iSqR6lV.dpuf
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channel, 71 TV saying: I saw the police who were standing right there. None of them were
coming to help. They didnt even inform the fire services.20
The burnt victims are brought into the Burn Unit of Dhaka Medical College Hospital, and
Pro-Govt. activists from all fronts Media, Cultural, political and others, are gathering there
20
21
http://www.bd-today.net/newsdetail/detail/200/110813
http://goo.gl/4FZ2UQ, http://www.risingbd.com/english/detailsnews.php?nssl=22100
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to capitalize the pain and agony of the victims for their own political purposes. Even music
videos are being shot inside the sensitive ward.
The authority of the Govt. hospital is allowing these inhuman activities to be held inside the
burnt unit though giving someone permission to shoot with the burn victims is out of
question.22
Since 15 January 2015, the Bangladesh government has deployed "Joint Forces" to conduct
operations against the opposition. Houses and shops of those identified as opposition
supporters in northern Bangladesh are ending up demolished. Hundreds of people, including
women and children, have been internally displaced as a result of the crackdown. he police
and paramilitary forces are facilitating vandalism of private property by ruling party cadres,
who have been ransacking households and setting fire during the operation. The lawenforcement agencies and the ruling politicians are justifying the crackdown with the excuse
that the government is protecting citizens from those responsible for violence and arson
attacks taking place on the streets and highways of Bangladesh.
22
http://progressbangladesh.com/movie-filming-at-dhaka-medical-hospital-burn-unit/
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Since 3 January 2015, the police have sealed the central offices of the Bangladesh Nationalist
Party (BNP), the primary opposition party, and confined its chairperson therein. The police
have also banned political meetings of the opposition; they have, however, allowed the ruling
party to hold public rallies.
Heavy loss of life, no action against ruling partys miscreants
The resultant opposition blockade since 5 January 2015 has intensified the clash in
Bangladesh. Hundreds of vehicles have come under arson attack, causing deaths and burn
injuries to innocent passengers and motor-workers. More than 80 people have lost their live.
Many of the attacks are taking place in front of the police; however, the police are not
arresting the perpetrators in all such incidents. There have been instances where local people
have caught members of the ruling party's student and youth wings in possession of "petrol
bombs"; the police have ended up releasing them without pressing any charges.
Roar from Govt. bosses rather than taking step for dialogue
government and eliminate the terror unleashed by the 'anti-liberation elements' in the name of
movement." The Director General of the RAB, reportedly stated, "a handful of terrors had
declared war against the state, the people and the society. Elections will be held in the
scheduled time and people will give their mandate in the polls." And, on 17 January, Prime
Minister Sheikh Hasina said, "the hands of the culprits who make and hurl petrol bombs
should be burnt so they can feel the pain of arson victims."
Extra-judicial killing on the rise
In the days that have followed these statements, the police have extra judicially murdered at
least 30 people of the opposition. The law-enforcement agencies have claimed that they had
"gunfights; relatives of the victims have claimed that their dear-ones were detained much
earlier by law-enforcement agents and were murdered in a preplanned manner as part of the
governmental plan of eliminating the opposition from the country.
Mass Arrest of opposition-men
Around twenty thousand people, including opposition activists, have been arrested in the last
three weeks. The police have been extorting millions of Taka from the detainees by using
torture and threatening to kill them in the pretext of "gunfight" or "crossfire". The detainees
are being implicated in various criminal cases.
Role of media questioned
The violence and chaos of Bangladesh is not being adequately reflected in the national media,
because of serious repression by the state. Most of the private television channels and print
media are owned and operated by pro-government entrepreneurs and ideologists. The few
who wish to expose the reality are maintaining self-censorship, following constant
intimidation from the intelligence agencies and ruling party supporters.
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Legal redress from the existing criminal justice institutions of Bangladesh is impossible, due
to high degree of politicisation in the police, prosecution, and Judiciary. The ruling party has
subjugated all these institutions, including the Supreme Court. Local remedies are neither
accessible nor affordable due to the subjugated roles played by the countrys institutions.
Concern expressed even from UN
The UN Human Rights Council expressed its concern over the situation of Bangladesh. It has
urged "the authorities to ensure the prompt, impartial and effective investigation of all
killings committed irrespective of whether they were committed by State or non-State
actors."
Recommendation
1. The government must stop killing people by law enforcing agencies. The right to life
of every citizen must be respected by the government. Every detainee should be given
all the constitutional and legal rights.
2. The Bangladesh government has to stop the practice of picking up opposition activists
without official acknowledgement as a means to suppress the members of the
opposition.
3. The Awami League government should immediately resign and replace another nonparty government as per the aspiration of the people for the purpose of holding a free
and fair election.
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4. The arrest and extra-judicial killing of leaders and activists of the opposition across
the country is against the spirit of democracy and therefore should immediately be
stopped. Its culpable that opposition leaders are being killed and arrested unjustly
while the ruling party activists are staging sabotage.
5. The arrested political leaders and activists in the conspicuously groundless cases must
be set free. The malicious cases filed by police for harassing them should be
withdrawn.
6. Article 37 of Bangladesh Constitution provides, every citizen has the right to
assemble and to participate in public meetings and processions peacefully and
without arms, subject to any reasonable restrictions imposed by law.23 But the present
Govt. is showing gross reluctance to this provision and curtailing this constitutional
right by abuse of chance provided by the Constitution to make restriction on holding
assembly. According to the provision, such restriction has to be reasonable. So,
immediate relaxation of the imposition of restriction is desirable. It is urged that the
government should withdraw the restriction immediately.
7. Bangladesh is a state party of various International Laws that bars it to take initiatives
that tend to form any kind of torture. Convention against Torture and Other Cruel,
Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT), 1984 is one of them that
declares in its Article 2:
(a) Each State Party shall take effective legislative, administrative, judicial or
other measures to prevent acts of torture in any territory under its jurisdiction.
23
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(c) An order from a superior officer or a public authority may not be invoked
as a justification of torture.
Article 4 of this international instrument says: Each State Party shall ensure that all
acts of torture are offences under its criminal law. The same shall apply to an attempt
to commit torture and to an act by any person which constitutes complicity or
participation in torture. 2. Each State Party shall make these offences punishable by
appropriate penalties which take into account their grave nature.
These provisions are binding on Bangladesh as it has signed and approved this
International Law on 5 October, 1998. Instead of implementing, the existing Govt. is
increasing the torture with brutal style on the oppositions. This is really very
unacceptable and Govt. should immediately stop these violations.
8. The Govt. is under obligation to investigate the unlawful use of force by security
forces and ruling party men thoroughly and impartially, and to prosecute those
responsible for carrying out or ordering such acts. In the past, the government has
taken no action even in cases of well-documented unlawful killings by the security
forces during protests.
9. The government should publicly order the security forces to follow the UN Basic
Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials, which
state that security forces shall apply non-violent means before resorting to the use of
force and firearms, and that whenever the lawful use of force and firearms is
25 | P a g e
unavoidable, law enforcement officials shall: (a) Exercise restraint in such use and act
in proportion to the seriousness of the offence and the legitimate objective to be
achieved; (b) Minimize damage and injury, and respect and preserve human life.
10. The international community should create pressure upon the government of
Bangladesh to accept the rightful demand of public without further delay. They must
consider while making any decision about their relation with Bangladesh the issues of
freedom of expression and assembly, human rights violation and torture by law
enforcing agencies.
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