Bangladesh: Human Rights Report 2015
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BANGLADESH: HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT 2015 Odhikar Report 1 Contents Odhikar Report .................................................................................................................................. 1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ............................................................................................................... 4 Detailed Report ............................................................................................................................... 12 A. Political Situation ....................................................................................................................... 13 On average, 16 persons were killed in political violence every month .......................................... 13 Examples of political violence ..................................................................................................... 14 B. Elections ..................................................................................................................................... 17 City Corporation Elections 2015 .................................................................................................. 17 By-election in Dohar Upazila ....................................................................................................... 18 Municipality Elections 2015 ........................................................................................................ 18 Pre-election violence ................................................................................................................... 20 Polling day .................................................................................................................................. 20 C. Act of Impunity .......................................................................................................................... 26 Extrajudicial killings.................................................................................................................... 26 Types of extrajudicial killings ...................................................................................................... 28 Crossfire/encounter/gun fight: ................................................................................................. 28 Tortured to death: .................................................................................................................... 28 Shot to death: .......................................................................................................................... 28 Beaten to death: ....................................................................................................................... 28 Strangled to death: .................................................................................................................. 29 Other deaths: ........................................................................................................................... 29 Identities of the deceased: ........................................................................................................ 29 Torture, inhuman and degrading treatment in custody .................................................................. 29 Shooting in the legs after arrest .................................................................................................... 31 Death in Jail ................................................................................................................................ 33 Allegations of enforced disappearance against law enforcement agencies ..................................... 33 Lack of accountability of law enforcement agencies and its unlawful acts .................................... 36 Cabinet approves of the draft Public Service Act 2015 ................................................................. 37 D. Mass Arrests and Prisons Conditions .......................................................................................... 38 Conditions in prisons due to mass arrest (January – March 2015) ................................................. 38 Mass arrests revived after preparations for Municipality elections under party banners ................. 39 E. Freedom of Expression and the Media ......................................................................................... 40 Hindrance to freedom of media .................................................................................................... 40 Online media to be registered....................................................................................................... 42 Killing of bloggers ....................................................................................................................... 43 2 Freedom of expression and social media ...................................................................................... 44 Government blocks social media amid ‘security concerns’ ........................................................... 45 The repressive Information and Communication Technology Act 2006 (amended 2009, 2013) .... 45 F. Freedom of Assembly.................................................................................................................. 48 Attacks and barriers to meetings and assemblies .......................................................................... 48 G. Public lynching ........................................................................................................................... 52 H. Myanmar and Indian Border issues ............................................................................................. 53 Incidents along Bangladesh – India border ................................................................................... 53 Incidents along the Bangladesh – Myanmar border ...................................................................... 54 I. Human rights violations on minority communities ........................................................................ 56 Violence against religious minority communities ......................................................................... 56 Violence against the Shia Muslim community .............................................................................. 58 J. Workers’ rights ............................................................................................................................ 59 Ready-made garment industries ................................................................................................... 59 K. Violations of migrant rights ........................................................................................................ 61 L. Inhuman and cruel treatment of children ...................................................................................... 62 M. Violence against women ............................................................................................................ 64 Dowry-related violence................................................................................................................ 64 Sexual harassment and stalking .................................................................................................... 65 Rape ............................................................................................................................................ 66 Acid violence .............................................................................................................................. 68 N. Repressive and Controversial Laws Drafted in 2015.................................................................... 70 Approval of draft Mobile Court (amendment) Act 2015 ............................................................... 70 Draft repressive law on internet usage .......................................................................................... 70 O. Hindrance to Human Rights, Rule of Law and Social Activities .................................................. 71 Activities of Odhikar hindered ..................................................................................................... 71 Police Headquarters criticise Odhikar, BAMAK and ASK’s human rights reports ........................ 72 Government blasts TIB for publishing report on the 10th Parliament ............................................ 73 New provisions to the Foreign Donations (Voluntary Activities) Regulation Ordinance 1978 against anti-government remarks ............................................................................................................. 73 Child rights activists arrested ....................................................................................................... 74 Recommendations ........................................................................................................................... 76 3 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Human rights situation in Bangladesh has been dealt a severe blow by the controversial and farcical Parliamentary elections held on January 5, 2014. Disorder in the electoral systems in Bangladesh became more widespread after January 5, 2014. As a result, conducting a free, fair and neutral election has become almost impossible. Upazila Parishad elections in 2014 and City Corporations and Municipality elections in 2015 were marked by unlawful activities, including massive electoral rigging, ‘capturing’ of polling stations, casting of fake votes and violence. All these made the whole election process a farce. The Awami League led government of 2009–2014 and