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Bangladesh's Failed Election
April 2014, Volume 25, Number 2 $13.00 Democratic Parliamentary Monarchies Alfred Stepan, Juan J. Linz, and Juli F. Minoves Ethnic Power-Sharing and Democracy Donald L. Horowitz Nelson Mandela’s Legacy Princeton N. Lyman The Freedom House Survey for 2013 Arch Puddington A New Twilight in Zimbabwe? Adrienne LeBas Charles Mangongera Shifting Tides in South Asia Sumit Ganguly Maya Tudor Ali Riaz Mahendra Lawoti Jason Stone S.D. Muni Fathima Musthaq Shifting Tides in South Asia BANGLADESH’S FAILED ELECTION Ali Riaz Ali Riaz is professor of politics and government at Illinois State Univer- sity. In 2013, he was a Public Policy Scholar at the Woodrow Wilson In- ternational Center for Scholars in Washington, D.C. His books include Political Islam and Governance in Bangladesh (2010). Is democracy in Bangladesh undergoing a reversal? This question must be asked in the wake of the country’s troubled tenth parliamentary elec- tion, which took place on 5 January 2014. Boycotted by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and the rest of the opposition, the voting was marred by the lowest turnout and worst electoral violence in Bangla- desh’s 43-year history.1 The result is a Parliament in which the incum- bent Awami League (AL) and its allies control nearly all 300 elected seats.2 Owing to the boycott, more than half the races—or 154, to be exact—featured but a single candidate. Before the polls opened, BNP leader Khaleda Zia (who served as prime minister in 1991–96 and 2001–2006) had been placed under vir- tual house arrest while Jatiya Party (JP) head H.M. -
Amnesty International Public Statement
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL PUBLIC STATEMENT AI index: ASA 13/003/2013 22 February 2013 Bangladesh: Resist pressure to push for hasty death sentences at war crimes Tribunal Amnesty International is concerned that the government of Bangladesh may use new amendments to the International Crimes (Tribunals) Act 1973 (ICT Act) to push for hasty death sentences to be imposed on individuals convicted by Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal (ICT). The amendments, passed by Parliament on 17 February, permit the prosecution to appeal against any decision of the ICT to impose a lesser sentence. The ICT is a national court established in 2010 to try people suspected of crimes under international law, including genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity, committed during Bangladesh’s 1971 war of independence. The ICT Act governs the conduct of trials before the ICT. After opening its first trial in November 2011, the ICT delivered its first verdict – in absentia - on 21 January 2013. Abul Kalam Azad, associated with the opposition religious party Jamaat- e-Islami, was convicted of crimes against humanity and sentenced to death. On 5 February, the ICT delivered its second judgment and sentenced Abdul Quader Molla, a senior member of the same opposition party, to life imprisonment for crimes against humanity. Following that second verdict, members of the ruling Awami League government claimed that the sentence was not enough and that a death sentence should have been handed down. At the same time, a large-scale protest movement has erupted in Dhaka, demanding the death sentence for Abdul Quader Molla and any others convicted of crimes under international law by the ICT. -
Researched and Compiled by the Refugee Documentation Centre of Ireland on Monday 26 May 2014
Bangladesh - Researched and compiled by the Refugee Documentation Centre of Ireland on Monday 26 May 2014 Information on the activities of Taliban & Muslim extremists including interaction with society In May 2014 a publication released by Jane’s Intelligence Review notes that: “Bangladesh faces growing security threats from a range of radical Islamist interests, including entrenched Deobandi militants, newly emergent jihadist groups, and even transnational operations such as Al-Qaeda” (Jane’s Intelligence Review (1 May 2014) Radical thinking - Transnational jihadists eye Bangladesh). This report also notes: “A message from Al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri in January 2014, the first specifically directed at Bangladesh, will resonate with a number of radical groups aiming to spread jihad within the country. Despite not having established a cell within Bangladesh to date, Al-Qaeda's apparently rising interest in the country will galvanise local groups that pose a more immediate security threat. Bangladesh, the fourth largest Muslim majority country in the world, has experienced resurgent religious confrontations since 2013, with moderate and radical Islamist forces taking to the streets for intermittently violent confrontations that have undermined the country's secular credentials…Within this troubled atmosphere, latent Islamist militancy also exists in the form of well-entrenched Deobandi militant groups such as Jamaat ul- Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) and Harakat-ul-Jihad-ul-Islami-Bangladesh (HUJI-B), both of which can trace their lineage to JeI and are now attempting to regain some of their past influence. Other newly founded militant Islamist groups, such as the Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT), are also finding the resources and opportunities to mark their presence on the Jihadist landscape of Bangladesh. -
Bangladesh: Extremism & Counter-Extremism
Bangladesh: Extremism & Counter-Extremism On July 1, 2016, at least five Islamist militants stormed into Holey Artisan Bakery, an upscale restaurant in the Gulshan neighborhood of Dhaka, and detonated explosives before separating the Muslim and local Bangladeshi hostages from the non-Muslims and foreigners. After a 12-hour siege, Bangladeshi security forces stormed the restaurant in the early hours of July 2 and freed 13 hostages. The officials found 20 hostages hacked and stabbed to death, including Italian, Japanese, Indian, and U.S. citizens. Four militants and two police officers were killed over the course of the incident, and one militant was arrested. (Sources: Reuters, Dhaka Tribune, CNN, BBC News, BBC News) The July 1 restaurant attack reportedly was the 24th ISIS attack in Bangladesh since September 2015, and the most deadly in a spate of terror attacks in Bangladesh in 2016. Though ISIS claimed responsibility, some U.S. officials said that the assault bore the hallmark of al-Qaeda’s regional affiliate, al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent. In October 2016, ISIS released an article reiterating its claim of responsibility and providing its own narrative of the attacks. Bangladeshi authorities reportedly have evidence of communications between the architect of the attack and Abu Terek Mohammad Tajuddin Kausar, an ISIS militant born in Bangladesh but living in Australia. Kausar is said to have approved the attack and ordered the assailants to specifically target non-Muslim foreigners and expatriates. (Sources: Guardian, Dhaka Tribune, NPR, Times of India, CNN, Hindu BusinessLine, Dhaka Tribune, Reuters, Reuters, New York Times) Bangladeshi officials nonetheless claim that ISIS does not maintain a presence in the country. -
9781137542540.Pdf
Governance for Development Governance for Development Political and Administrative Reforms in Bangladesh S. Nazrul Islam GOVERNANCE FOR DEVELOPMENT Copyright © S. Nazrul Islam 2016 Softcover reprint of the hardcover 1st edition 2016 978-1-137-54253-3 All rights reserved. No reproduction, copy or transmission of this publication may be made without written permission. No portion of this publication may be reproduced, copied or transmitted save with written permission. In accordance with the provisions of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, or under the terms of any licence permitting limited copying issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency, Saffron House, 6-10 Kirby Street, London EC1N 8TS. Any person who does any unauthorized act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages. First published 2016 by PALGRAVE MACMILLAN The author has asserted his right to be identified as the author of this work in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. Palgrave Macmillan in the UK is an imprint of Macmillan Publishers Limited, registered in England, company number 785998, of Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire, RG21 6XS. Palgrave Macmillan in the US is a division of Nature America, Inc., One New York Plaza, Suite 4500, New York, NY 10004-1562. Palgrave Macmillan is the global academic imprint of the above companies and has companies and representatives throughout the world. ISBN: 978-1-349-71292-2 E-PDF ISBN: 978-1-137-54254-0 DOI: 10.1057/9781137542540 Distribution in the UK, Europe and the rest of the world is by Palgrave Macmillan®, a division of Macmillan Publishers Limited, registered in England, company number 785998, of Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire RG21 6XS. -
Torture in Bangladesh 1971-2004
TORTURE IN BANGLADESH 1971-2004 MAKING INTERNATIONAL COMMITMENTS A REALITY AND PROVIDING JUSTICE AND REPARATIONS TO VICTIMS AUGUST 2004 REALISED WITH FINANCIAL SUPPORT FROM THE EUROPEAN INITIATIVE FOR DEMOCRACY AND HUMAN RIGHTS The Redress Trust 87 Vauxhall Walk, 3rd Floor London, SE11 5HJ Tel: +44 (0)207 793 1777 Fax: +44(0)207 793 1719 Website: www.redress.org 1 TORTURE IN BANGLADESH 1971- 2004 INDEX I. INTRODUCTION ................................ ................................ ................................ .............. 4 II. CONTEXT OF TORTURE IN BANGLADESH ................................ ................................ .. 5 A. POLITICAL HISTORY..............................................................................................................................5 B. TORTURE AND OTHER SERIOUS ABUSES COMMITTED IN THE COURSE OF THE 1971 WAR.....7 i. Violations attributed to Pakistani forces and “collaborators”..................................................................................................7 ii. Violations attributed to the Mukthi Bahini and Bengali civilians.............................................................................................8 C. THE PRACTICE OF TORTURE IN BANGLADESH FROM 1971-2004...................................................9 III. BANGLADESH’S OBLIGATIONS UNDER INTERNATIONAL LAW AND IMPLEMENTATION IN DOMESTIC LAW ................................ ................................ .......... 13 A. INTERNATIONAL OBLIGATIONS .........................................................................................................13 -
Bangladesh - Researched and Compiled by the Refugee Documentation Centre of Ireland on Friday 24 & Tuesday 28 October 2014
Bangladesh - Researched and compiled by the Refugee Documentation Centre of Ireland on Friday 24 & Tuesday 28 October 2014 Information on Jamaat-e-Islami including: general information; treatment by Awami League; party leaders between 2010 & 2014 The Jamaat-e-Islami party in an undated document states: “Jamaat e Islami is not a conventional religious, political, social or cultural party only. Jamaat performs as a spiritual party as spiritual life is important in Islam. Jamaat performs in political arena because Islamic law can’t be implemented without political force. Jamaat concentrates upon social service and social reform as strong emphasis has been given on social service and social reform in Islam. In this sense, Jamaat- e- Islami is a complete Islamic movement” (Jamaat-e-Islami (Undated) About Us). This document also notes: “To be associated with Jamaat: Firstly fill up the form of associate member Regularly attend in weekly meeting for attaining Islamic knowledge and character Attentively read tafsir (explanation) of Quran and Hadith, Islamic literature and news papers. Practice according to what knowledge you have gained and take firm decision not to do anything against your conscience. Be the member of Jamaat to perform the duty of deen efficiently” (ibid). A repot issued in 2014 by the Hindu American Foundation notes: “Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) Bangladesh is an offshoot of the Jamaat organization that was founded in undivided India in 1941 by Maulana Abul Ala Mauddudi. Jamaat drew its inspiration from the Deobandi school of Islam, known for promoting religious extremism in several countries in the region, and modeled itself after the Muslim Brotherhood.1 Separate branches were subsequently established in both Pakistan and Bangladesh (then East Pakistan), also known as Jamaat-e-Islami, following India’s partition. -
Annual Report 2019-2020
ANNUAL REPORT 2019-2020 ISO 9001: 2015 CERTIFIED ANNUAL REPORT 2019-2020 ISO 9001: 2015 CERTIFIED VISION Economic upliftment of the country by reaching electricity to all through reliable transmission. MISSION Efficient and effective management of national power grid for reliable and quality transmission as well as economic dispatch of electricity throughout the country. gywRee‡l© RvwZi wcZv e½eÜz †kL gywReyi ingvb I Zuvi cwiev‡ii knx` m`m¨‡`i cÖwZ web¤ª kÖ×v gywRee‡l© wcwRwmweÕi M„nxZ K‡g©v‡`¨vM RvwZi wcZv e½eÜz †kL gywReyi ingv‡bi Rb¥kZevwl©Kx myôyfv‡e D`hvc‡bi j‡¶¨ wcwRwmwe wb‡¤œv³ Kg©cwiKíbv MÖnY I ev¯Íevqb Ki‡Q Kg©cwiKíbv Ges miKvwi wb‡`©kbv ev¯Íevq‡bi j‡¶¨ wcwRwmwe GKwU g~j KwgwU Ges cvuPwU DcKwgwU MVb K‡i‡Q| kZfvM we`y¨Zvqb Kvh©µg ev¯Íevqb msµvšÍ K) 2020 mv‡ji g‡a¨ ‡`ke¨vcx kZfvM we`y¨Zvq‡bi j‡¶¨ wbf©i‡hvM¨ we`y¨r mÂvjb Kiv; L) ‰e`y¨wZK miÄvgvw`i Standard Specification ‰Zixi D‡`¨vM MÖnY; M) we`y¨r mÂvj‡bi ‡¶‡Î wm‡óg jm ‡iv‡a Kvh©Kix c`‡¶c MÖnY; N) we`y¨r wefv‡Mi mswkøó KwgwU KZ©…K M„nxZ Kvh©µ‡gi mv‡_ mgš^q K‡i cª‡qvRbxq Ab¨vb¨ Kvh©µg MÖnY; DrKl©Zv Ges D™¢vebx Kg©KvÛ msµvšÍ K) gywRe el©‡K we`y¨r wefvM KZ©…K Ô‡mev el©Õ wn‡m‡e ‡Nvlbvi ‡cÖw¶‡Z ‡m Abyhvqx Kvh©µg m¤úv`b Kiv; L) ‰e`y¨wZK Lv‡Z ‡`‡k I we‡`‡k `¶ Rbkw³i Pvwn`v c~iYK‡í ‰e`y¨wZK Kg©‡ckvq `¶ Rbkw³ M‡o ‡Zvjvi Rb¨ ÔgywRe e‡l©Õ cÖwk¶Y Kg©m~wPi gva¨‡g b~¨bZg 210 Rb †eKvi hyeK‡K gvbe m¤ú‡` iƒcvšÍi Kiv; M) e½eÜy ‡kL gywReyi ingv‡bi Rb¥kZevwl©Kx D`hvc‡bi j‡¶¨ ‰ZwiK…Z ‡K›`ªxq I‡qemvB‡Ui m‡½ wcwRwmweÕi wjsK ¯’vcb; N) we`y¨r wefv‡Mi mswkøó KwgwU KZ©…K M„nxZ Kvh©µ‡gi mv‡_ mgš^q K‡i cÖ‡qvRbxq -
BANGLADESH COUNTRY of ORIGIN INFORMATION (COI) REPORT COI Service
BANGLADESH COUNTRY OF ORIGIN INFORMATION (COI) REPORT COI Service Date 30 September 2012 BANGLADESH 30 SEPTEMBER 2012 Contents Go to End Preface REPORTS ON BANGLADESH PUBLISHED OR FIRST ACCESSED BETWEEN 31 AUGUST AND 30 SEPTEMBER 2012 Paragraphs Background Information 1. GEOGRAPHY ................................................................................................................... 1.01 Public holidays ................................................................................................... 1.06 Maps of Bangladesh ............................................................................................. 1.07 Other maps of Bangladesh ................................................................................. 1.07 2. ECONOMY ....................................................................................................................... 2.01 3. HISTORY ......................................................................................................................... 3.01 Pre-independence: 1947- 1971 ............................................................................ 3.01 Post-independence: 1972 - April 2010 .............................................................. 3.02 Government of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, 1972-75 ............................................. 3.02 Government of Ziaur Rahman, 1975-81 ............................................................. 3.03 Government of Hussain Mohammed Ershad, 1982-90 ...................................... 3.04 Government of Khaleda Zia, -
The Wastes of Time by Syed Sajjad Hussain
THE WASTES OF TIME REFLECTIONS ON THE DECLINE AND FALL OF EAST PAKISTAN Syed Sajjad Husain 1995 Reproduced By: Sani H. Panhwar 2013 Syed Sajjad Syed Sajjad Husain was born on 14th January 1920, and educated at Dhaka and Nottingham Universities. He began his teaching career in 1944 at the Islamia College, Calcutta and joined the University of Dhaka in 1948 rising to Professor in 1962. He was appointed Vice-Chancellor of Rajshahi University July in 1969 and moved to Dhaka University in July 1971 at the height of the political crisis. He spent two years in jail from 1971 to 1973 after the fall of East Pakistan. From 1975 to 1985 Dr Husain taught at Mecca Ummul-Qura University as a Professor of English, having spent three months in 1975 as a Fellow of Clare Hall, Cambridge University. Since his retirement in 1985, he had been living quietly at home and had in the course of the last ten years published five books including the present Memoirs. He breathed his last on 12th January, 1995. A more detailed account of the author’s life and career will be found inside the book. The publication of Dr Syed Sajjad Husain’s memoirs, entitled, THE WASTES OF TIME began in the first week of December 1994 under his guidance and supervision. As his life was cut short by Almighty Allah, he could read and correct the proof of only the first five Chapters with subheadings and the remaining fifteen Chapters without title together with the Appendices have been published exactly as he had sent them to the publisher. -
Free Ghulam Azam
FREE GHULAM AZAM A briefing on the arrest and defence of former political leader and activist Professor Ghulam Azam www.ghulamazam.net @freeghulamazam facebook.com/FreeGhulamAzam On 11th January 2012, police arrested Ghulam Azam, a veteran including during his time democracy campaigner and former chief of one of the biggest as General Secretary Key Points opposition parties in Bangladesh. He faces trial by the self- of Dhaka University proclaimed ‘International Crimes Tribunal’, established by Student Union. l Ghulam Azam, a key political figure in the ruling Awami League government; purportedly created Bangladesh, was arrested on 11th to seek justice for crimes committed during Bangladesh’s However, unlike January 2012 bloody liberation struggle in 1971. Respected rights groups the Awami League l He rejects accusations of committing such as Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International as which led Bangladesh crimes against humanity during the well as the International Bar Association have cast doubt on into independence, 1971 independence struggle, and is the proceedings. Many see these actions as a step towards Ghulam Azam and willing to defend his name in a fair trial an authoritarian one-party state as existed soon after several other parties l Human rights groups have cast doubt independence. Ghulam Azam, aged 89, led the Jamaat-e-Islami were committed to on the legitimacy of the ‘International party during Bangladesh’s traumatic birth. the union of Pakistan Crimes Tribunal’, the government and felt that the appointed body that has called for Today he is accused of a number of crimes allegedly committed people of Bangladesh Ghulam Azam’s trial. -
Caught Between Fear and Repression
CAUGHT BETWEEN FEAR AND REPRESSION ATTACKS ON FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION IN BANGLADESH Amnesty International is a global movement of more than 7 million people who campaign for a world where human rights are enjoyed by all. Our vision is for every person to enjoy all the rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international human rights standards. We are independent of any government, political ideology, economic interest or religion and are funded mainly by our membership and public donations. © Amnesty International 2017 Cover design and illustration: © Colin Foo Except where otherwise noted, content in this document is licensed under a Creative Commons (attribution, non-commercial, no derivatives, international 4.0) licence. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/legalcode For more information please visit the permissions page on our website: www.amnesty.org Where material is attributed to a copyright owner other than Amnesty International this material is not subject to the Creative Commons licence. First published in 2017 by Amnesty International Ltd Peter Benenson House, 1 Easton Street, London WC1X 0DW, UK Index: ASA 13/6114/2017 Original language: English amnesty.org CONTENTS FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION TIMELINE 4 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY & METHODOLOGY 6 1. ACTIVISTS LIVING IN FEAR WITHOUT PROTECTION 13 2. A MEDIA UNDER SIEGE 27 3. BANGLADESH’S OBLIGATIONS UNDER INTERNATIONAL LAW 42 4. BANGLADESH’S LEGAL FRAMEWORK 44 5. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS 57 Glossary AQIS - al-Qa’ida in the Indian Subcontinent