Kalpana Chakma Abduction Re-investigation demanded

Your Right to Know
Saturday, January 12, 2013

Staff correspondent

Speakers at different programmes yesterday reiterated their demand for a fair re-investigation into the abduction of Kalpana Chakma.

Despite being identified by eye-witnesses, the abductors are being protected through systematic attempts rather than being punished for their crime, they said.

On June 12, 1996, Kalpana, the then organising secretary of Hill Women's Federation (HWF), was abducted from her residence at New Lallaghona in Bhaghaichhari upazila of Rangamati allegedly by security personnel in plainclothes.

At a roundtable organised by HWF at Dhaka Reporters Unity in the capital, speakers rejected all official investigation reports published so far in Kalpana's abduction case, including the final probe report submitted by Criminal Investigation Department last September, as those had failed to name the real perpetrators.

HWF demanded that new cases be filed against the perpetrators responsible for abducting Kalpana as per the accounts of witnesses.

Kalindi Kumar Chakma, Kalpana's brother and an eye-witness to her abduction, said the previous investigation reports had distorted his statements and favoured the false accounts of the security personnel.

Meanwhile, leaders and activists of three front organisations of United Peoples Democratic Front, including HWF, Pahari Chhattra Parishad and Democratic Youth Forum, held a protest rally followed by a procession in Khagrachhari town yesterday, demanding a fair investigation into Kalpana's abduction.

Society needs to be cured

Your Right To Know
Wednesday, January 9, 2013

Kohinur Khyum Tithila, East West University, Dhaka

I am glad that finally five perpetrators of Tangail gang rape are now behind bars. The question is, were there only these five perpetrators who have been behind the girl's abysmal physical and psychological condition? The victim's condition wouldn't have gone this worse if she had been given proper medical care the moment she was rescued. Her family was afraid to give her medical care and emotional support she needed because of social stigma. We have created a society that is way more hostile to the rape victim than to the rapist. We make rules, traditions and decide the standard of right and wrong for society which teaches us to develop a negative attitude towards the rape victim. So it is not just those rapists who are to blame, we all are liable for every rape case. Traditional social norms instil the concept into us that there is no coming back from rape. Even if the victim wants to come back to her regular life, even if the schoolgirl recovers from the physical trauma, her circumstance might not let her recover from the psychological trauma. This society will never let her forget those gnawing memories. I learned from the news update that the girl's condition is improving and like all other rational human beings, I too hope that she will recover completely. But I think it is society which needs to be cured of its illness in the first place.

Follow-up Killing of 11 Bangladeshis was pre-planned Rohingya 'robber' discloses to police

Your Right To Know
Wednesday, January 9, 2013

A Correspondent, Cox's Bazar

Ukhia police yesterday handed over Rohingya 'robber' Hamidul Haque, allegedly involved in killing of 11 Bangladeshi fishermen, to Detective Branch (DB) of police for further interrogation.

Gleaning details from Hamidul Haque, police said they were now trying to arrest four other Rohingya criminals involved in the killing.

Hamidul also confessed to police that it was a pre-planned attack, they said.

Meanwhile hearing the news of arrest of Hamidul, owner of the attacked trawler Shah Alam Khan Sentu came to Cox's Bazar from Barguna yesterday and contacted district police.

Earlier, after talking with Farida Begum, wife of Syed Alam, one of 11 victims, Sentu filed a general diary (GD) with Patharghata PS on Saturday.

Contacted, district additional police superintendent Babul Akter said that police extracted important information from the arrestee. The information is not being made public for the sake of arresting the other criminals, he said.

Hamidul Haque on Sunday night disclosed how five Rohingyas had attacked a trawler and hacked to death 11 Bangladeshi fellow fishermen on Wednesday near Sonarchar Dwip [island] in Barguna district and dumped the bodies in the sea.

Fisherman Hamidul Haque, 45, son of late Syed Akbar of Budichong area in Myanmar, narrated the gruesome incident to Ukhia police of Cox's Bazar district in presence of journalists.

A Myanmar citizen, Hamidul had been living in Cox's Bazar town for long.

Law enforcers of Inani police outpost recovered the attacked trawler and arrested Hamidul from the coastal Pathuartek area in Ukhia around 8:00pm Sunday.

They later handed the arrestee over to the Ukhia police.

Hamidul told police that their trawler went to the deep sea with 16 fishermen -- 11 Bangladeshis and five Rohingyas.

On Wednesday, the Rohingyas on board swooped on the Bangladeshis and killed them.

NHRC works to formulate law to end discrimination

Your Right To Know
Wednesday, January 9, 2013

Barrister Sara Hossain addresses a seminar jointly organised by FAIR and Bangladesh Harijan Oikya Parishad in support with Manusher Jonno Foundation (MJF) at Jatiya Press Club in the capital yesterday. On her left are National Human Rights Commission Chairman Dr Mizanur Rahman and MJF Executive Director Shaheen Anam.Photo: STARStaff Correspondent

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken an initiative to formulate a law to end discrimination against the marginalised communities, the commission chairman said yesterday.

"We have already started the work and discussed the matter with the law commission. We will jointly formulate the law. We demand that the government pass the law in parliament," Dr Mizanur Rahman told a seminar on relevance of an anti-discrimination law to establish dignity of the marginalised people.

It was jointly organised by FAIR and Bangladesh Harijan Oikya Parishad in support with Manusher Jonno Foundation (MJF) at the capital's Jatiya Press Club.

Talking about different forms of discrimination, Dr Mizanur said financial difference and political identity are the major reasons of discriminations in Bangladesh.

Poor people become victims of discriminations in every sphere of life in our society, he said. "Another reason is political affiliation. If you are affiliated with the main opposition party, you will fall victim to discrimination."

The NHRC chief said, "This culture has been in practice since 1975. But we do not know how we will bring it under law as this kind of discrimination is not linked to marginalisation. This discrimination will have to be defined."

In the law, every kind of discriminations should be defined as criminal offence and the state will address the discrimination, he said.

He also urged the underprivileged like Dalits, people with disabilities, Adivasis to file complaints with the NHRC if there is any incident of discrimination.

Presenting a paper, Barrister Sara Hossain, honorary director of Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust (BLAST), said the existing laws of the country have failed to protect the vulnerable communities against discrimination.

MJF Executive Director Shaheen Anam, who moderated the seminar, stressed the need for social awareness to end discrimination against marginalised communities. The issue should be introduced in primary level education to make the children aware about human dignity, she said.

Reinvestigate Kalpana case - Hill people demand at protest rallies

Your Right to Know
Tuesday, January 8, 2013

Kalpana Chakma
Activists of Hill Women's Federation (HWF) in Rangamati and Khagrachhari districts yesterday demanded reinvestigation into the abduction case of their leader Kalpana Chakma.

'Jamaat-backed' new party holds rally against Ahmadiyyas

Your Right To Know
Friday, January 4, 2013

Staff Correspondent

In a surprise move, the newly formed fanatical Islamist party Tehrik-e-Khatme Nabuwwat held a rally against Ahmadiyyas, a Muslim minority community, in the capital yesterday.

The sudden campaign raised questions about the intentions of the party, which is allegedly linked to Jamaat-e-Islami and was founded 2-3 years back.

The party held the rally at Baitul Mukarram Mosque compound demanding that the government declare Ahmadiyyas non-Muslims. Ahmadiyyas, who do not believe Muhammad to be the last prophet, are considered by some to be non-Muslims.

Well informed sources told The Daily Star that Jamaat-e-Islami was patronising Tehrik-e-Khatme Nobuwwat to create unrest in the country in the name of an anti-Ahmadiyya movement and to keep administration busy with this.

A key partner in the BNP-led 18-party alliance, Jamaat, has been undergoing hard times since the war crimes trial opened against its top leaders in 2010.

An Ahmadiyya leader told The Daily Star, “Engaging Tehrik-e-Khatme Nabuwwat on the street against Ahmadiyya was nothing but a Jamaat strategy to create unrest in the country. This was not the first time Jamaat used this strategy."

Tehrik-e-Khatme Nabuwwat Ameer (chief) Anayetullah said they would take every step to declare Ahmadiyyas non-Muslims. Asked why they raised the issue suddenly, he said earlier they were engaged in the campaign through internet and other means.

Save religious minorities at Munshiganj - HC orders govt

Your Right To Know
Friday, January 4, 2013

Staff Correspondent

The High Court yesterday directed the government to provide security and protection to the religious minority people at Gopalnagar under Mirkadim pourasava in Munshiganj till further order.

The court passed the order following a writ petition, filed by a local journalist Sunil Chandra Dey, which claimed that Mirkadim pourasava Mayor Shahidul Islam Shahin and his loyal people have evicted 18 families of the Hindu at Gopalnagar from their homes on December 1 last year.

The victims' properties and valuables were looted during the eviction, the petition said, adding that Munshiganj Sadar police refused to record any case in this regard.

The court also issued a rule upon the government to explain in four weeks why its failure to protect the minority group at Gopalnagar should not be declared illegal.