Her Excellency Sheikh Hasina,
Hon. Prime Minister
Prime Minister’s Office
Old Sangsad Bhaban
Tejgaon, Dhaka-1215
The People’s Republic of Bangladesh
27th August 2010
Madam,
SAHR appeals to Release the Garment Leaders
Ms. Kalpona Akter and Mr. Babul Ahkter
South Asians for Human Rights (SAHR) would like to urge the Government for a proper investigation to the cases filed on the charges that Ms. Kalpona Akter and Mr. Babul Ahkter provoked the street protests that occurred in early August,2010.
On 14 August Ms. Kalpona Akter and Mr. Babul Ahkter, the leaders of the Bangladesh Center for Worker Solidarity (BCWS), were arrested at 2:00 am by twenty armed policemen. BCWS is a prominent organisation working on worker rights. It conducts worker rights training and legal and public advocacy to improve labour practices. Kalpona Akter, the Executive Director, is a former child labourer herself. Babul Ahkter is the Executive Director of the Bangladesh Garments and Industrial Workers Federation. The leaders were arrested on unsubstantiated charges of fomenting worker unrest. At 20 cents per hour, Bangladesh has by far the lowest wages of any major apparel producing country. Also, more arrest warrants have been issued against hundreds of workers and several labour rights leaders in the recent past. Read more »
Her Excellency Sheikh Hasina,
Hon. Prime Minister
Prime Minister’s Office
Old Sangsad Bhban
Tejgaon, Dhaka-1215
The People’s Republic of Bangladesh
05/07/2010
Madam,
SAHR appeals for an Independent Judicial Enquiry instead of Police Enquiry into recent cases of custodial death and disappearance
South Asians for Human Rights (SAHR) would like to urge the Government to take serious note of the reported cases of custodial deaths and disappearances reported in national newspapers, and particularly in Daily Star.
Reports of three deaths of people in police custody only within a span of 5 days are unacceptable. Although the police is denying the custodial deaths of Mizanur Rahman, Babul Kazi and Mujibur Hossain, The Daily Star investigation has found that the fact is quite the opposite to that of the police version of the incidents. Police picked up businessman Mizanur Rahman from his Badda house early Tuesday while Mujibur Hossain from Melartek Ghat in Darussalam early Thursday, and Babul kazi from Modhubagh, Moghbazar on Monday the investigation revealed.
Mizanur was found bullet-hit and was rushed to Dhaka Medical College Hospital where Mizanur succumbed to his injuries. Meanwhile, Darussalam police denied Mujibur’s arrest and his death in custody. His body was recovered floating on the Turag Friday morning, said Mujibur’s family members. Morgue sources said Mujibur died drowning but his body bore several marks of injury. Abdul Malek, officer-in-charge of Darussalam Police Station, however, identified Mujibur as a local drug peddler and said that Mujibur’s rivals killed him over a feud. According to the brother of the deceased, the policemen had allegedly demanded money from him for his release but when he failed to give it he was beaten to death. Read more »
Dr Mizanur Rahman Khan,
Chairperson,
National Human Rights Commission,
Dhaka, Bangladesh
Dear Dr Khan,
Congratulations from the members of South Asians for Human Rights
On behalf of South Asians for Human Rights, let me congratulate you on assumption of the responsibility of Chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission of Bangladesh. The Commission has come into effect after a long journey of several years. We are glad to note that its structure has been enlarged to seven members, and that four of them are women. We are also encouraged that the Commission’s terms have been slightly enlarged to allow you to enquire into violations of human rights by law enforcement and security forces.
Read more »
South Asians for Human Rights (SAHR) welcomes talks between the Foreign Secretary of India Ms. Nirupama Rao and Pakistan’s Foreign Secretary Mr. Salman Bashir which is scheduled to be held on Thursday, 24th June 2010 in Islamabad Pakistan.
India and Pakistan are to commence a set of back-to-back meetings, starting with the talks between their foreign secretaries. The talks are to cover an entire gamut of bilateral issues, including terrorism, Jammu and Kashmir, confidence-building measures and the Indus water dispute. The aim is at bridging the trust deficit which was created after the Mumbai Attacks in 2008 and exploring ways to revive dialogue between them.
SAHR believes that the talks will provide a much needed opportunity to bridge the differences between the two countries and take positive steps towards peace between India and Pakistan. Read more »
On behalf of the members of South Asians for Human Rights (SAHR), a democratic regional network of human rights defenders committed to the promotion and protection of human rights at both national and regional levels, we welcome the convening of the Summit of Heads of State of SAARC countries in Thimphu from 28th – 29th April 2010.
South Asians share a common history and culture of tolerance and pluralism. Our ideals represent the principles of peace, democracy, secularism and human security as the basis of our diverse nationhoods. But our region remains backward and one of the poorest because of our divisiveness and intolerance of differences. Read more »
South Asians for Human Rights (SAHR) vehemently condemn the action taken by the Government of Bangladesh to ban the photo exhibition of extra judicial killings in Dhaka. This is a violation of a citizen’s right to freedom of expression.
Hours before the exhibition was due to open at a special ceremony in Dhaka, Police closed down the Drik Picture Library on Monday, 22nd March 2010. The exhibition, “Crossfire,” by Shahidul Alam, features photographs based on Drik’s case studies relating to the alleged extra-judicial killings by the Rapid Action Battalion of Bangladesh. The reason for the closure of this exhibition, as stated by the police, was that the exhibition had no official permission to open and that it would “create anarchy”. From this day onwards police officers have been stationed at the gates every day to stop people from entering the exhibition. Read more »
South Asians for Human Rights vehemently condemn the attack on the MTV/MBC office at Braybrooke Place, Sri Lanka on 22nd March 2010. The attackers forced themselves into the premises of the head office of the Sirasa media network while hurling stones and other objects causing extensive damage to the building and surrounding vehicles. Several members of the Sirasa staff have also sustained injuries due to this attack.
SAHR also notes with dismay and concern the many other attacks, murders and arbitrary arrests of media personnel during the past months in Sri Lanka. The increase in such acts and the pathetic attempts at investigation of these acts portray the level of impunity in the country.
SAHR calls for an independent unbiased investigation to be conducted ensuring that the perpetrators are brought to justice to face a fair trial. SAHR also underlines the responsibility of a truly democratic state, to protect media freedom, and thus call upon relevant authorities to ensure the protection of media organisations thereby preventing such incidents in future.
On behalf of South Asians for Human Rights
Dr Hameeda Hossain
Co-Chair SAHR
23.03.2010
South Asians for Human Rights (SAHR) welcomes the decision taken by the Foreign Secretary of India Ms. Nirupama Rao and Pakistan’s Foreign Secretary Mr. Salman Bashir to resume talks at the foreign secretary level between India and Pakistan. The talks which will resume after fourteen months on the 25th of February provide a much needed opportunity to bridge the differences between the two countries and take positive steps towards peace and cooperation in South Asia.
SAHR hopes that resuming the dialogue on all issues of concern will break the tensions between the two countries and prepare the ground for more positive and meaningful outcomes. Read more »
South Asians for Human Rights (SAHR) vehemently condemn the violence and other election malpractices that have taken place in the past few weeks in Sri Lanka. We fear that this threatens the possibility of a free and fair Presidential election.
Sri Lanka is at a pivotal point where the end of the war has given hope for a fresh start, in which rights of all citizens are promoted. The upcoming elections have presented an opportunity for every citizen to exercise their sovereign right to vote and thus make it integrated and inclusive process. All citizens should be able to vote in a secured environment, especially those in the recently liberated areas in the North and East. However, given the turn the campaigns have taken, the reality of the situation appears to be otherwise. Read more »
South Asians for Human Rights (SAHR) extend warm greetings to all friends who will be commemorating the anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948. This year with the focus to embrace diversity and end discrimination the adoption marks a historic milestone in the evolution of our common understanding, and affirmation, of values we deem inviolable: “All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights” yet today, the fight against discrimination remains a daily struggle for millions around the globe.
The rich diversity of cultures and religions seen in the South Asian region should help to strengthen fundamental human rights in all communities. Instead we are faced with armed conflicts which lead to the breakdown of infrastructure and civic institutions, to greater human suffering and increased poverty, which are ultimately the violations of the rights of people. Read more »
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