HRSS Annual Bulletin 2018
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Human Rights in Bangladesh Annual Bulletin 2018 HUMAN RIGHTS SUPPORT SOCIETY (HRSS) www.hrssbd.org Annual Human Rights Bulletin Bangladesh Situation 2018 HRSS Any materials published in this Bulletin May be reproduced with acknowledgment of HRSS. Published by Human Rights Support Society D-3, 3rd Floor, Nurjehan Tower 2nd Link Road, Banglamotor Dhaka-1000, Bangladesh. Email: [email protected], [email protected] Website: www.hrssbd.org Cover & Graphics [email protected] Published in September 2019 Price: TK 300 US$ 20 ISSN-2413-5445 BOARD of EDITORS Advisor Barrister Shahjada Al Amin Kabir Md. Nur Khan Editor Nazmul Hasan Sub Editor Ijajul Islam Executive Editors Research & Publication Advocacy & Networking Md. Omar Farok Md. Imamul Hossain Monitoring & Documentation Investigation & Fact findings Aziz Aktar Md. Saiful Islam Ast. IT Officer Rizwanul Haq Acknowledgments e are glad to announce that HRSS is going to publish “Annual Human Rights Bulletin 2018”, focusing on Wsignificant human rights violations of Bangladesh. We hope that the contents of this report will help the people understand the overall human rights situation in the country. We further expect that both government and non-government stakeholders working for human rights would be acquainted with the updated human rights conditions and take necessary steps to stop repeated offences. On the other hand, in 2018, the constitutionally guaranteed rights of freedom of assembly and association witnessed a sharp decline by making digital security act-2018. Further, the overall human rights situation significantly deteriorated. Restrictions on the activities of political parties and civil societies, impunity to the excesses of the security forces, extrajudicial killing in the name of anti-drug campaign, enforced disappearance, violence against women, arbitrary arrests and assault on opposition political leaders and activists, intimidation and extortion are considered to be the main reasons for such a catastrophic state of affairs. Finally, we would like to express thanks to all our colleagues for their contribution to the publication of this report and to the news reporters whose courageous reporting has provided the basis for this report. I specifically express my gratitude to the members of the executive committee who, for this publication, undertook all pains. I strongly believe that your considered feedback would help us ensure a quality publication and encourage us to continue the relentless effort in this regard. Ijajul Islam Executive Director Executive Summary The shocking condition of human rights in Bangladesh motivates HRSS to work hard to raise awareness both home and abroad. It is expected that this bulletin will help the people, the civil society as well as the international community by providing them with a concrete account of the deplorable human rights situation of Bangladesh nnual Human rights analysis report published by Human Rights Support Society based on the incidents of human rights violation and Aatrocities based on information received through our district representatives and twelve prominent national dailies has published this report. From January to December ’18, this report illustrates that freedom of expression was denied and the constitutionally guaranteed rights of freedom of assembly and association witnessed a sharp decline. Restrictions on the political parties and civil societies, impunity to the abusive security forces, extrajudicial killing in the name of anti-drug war, enforced disappearance, abduction, violence against women, arbitrary arrest and assault on opposition political leaders and activists, coercion and extortion are exposed a very glooming scenario of the overall human rights situation in Bangladesh. The situation reached such an awful state that even the common people feel insecure everywhere. This year, according to the annual statistics of HRSS, at least 474 persons were victims of extra-judicial killing in 2018. Out of them, 429 people were killed in the name of ‘crossfire/gunfights’, 07 were tortured to death, 05 were shot to death and 33 died in the custody. The deaths occurred during raids, arrests as well as during the operations conducted by the law-enforcement ANNUAL HUMAN RIGHTS BULLETIN 2018 agencies (LEAs). As usual, the government regretfully described these deaths as "crossfire/ gunfights/ encounter killings". Enforced disappearances also continued during the year 2018. Unfortunately, most of the enforced disappearances are alleged to have been done by security forces such as RAB, DB, and Police. According to HRSS monitoring, a total 92 persons have been disappeared by the law enforcement agencies in different incidents in 2018. Moreover, the HRSS bulletin found that a total of 693 females have been raped in 2018. Of them, 279 were identified as adults and alarmingly 414 were children under the age of 16. A total of 235 women were killed in the course of family feuds while 44 females were killed due to dowry-related violence. It has also been reported that a total of 291 were abducted by a non- state actor in different areas of the country, of whom approximately 188 were male, 34 females and 69 were children. Among them 144 were killed after the abduction. At least 83 people were killed in political violence and around 44 people were killed by lynching. HRSS noticed that through 2018, about 95 incidents of violence were committed against children and as a result 43 lost their lives and 76 were critically injured. As a result of violent attacks, a total of 228 unarmed civilians were victimized, of whom 124 were killed, 88 seriously injured and 16 were hit by bullet. HRSS also estimated a total of 38 incidents of attacks on minority communities throughout the country. On the other hand, during the pre- election campaign and Election Day in Bangladesh on 30th December 2018, at least 50 people were killed in election-related violence, while many others were injured. There are widespread allegations of voter intimidation during and preceding the election. Due to Government’s submissive foreign policy with India and Myanmar, the number of killings increased in the border area significantly. Bangladeshi citizens have been the victims of killings, subjected to torture, and other forms of inhumane and degrading treatments. A total of nearly 34 incidents have been reported resulting in loss of lives of as many as 15 Bangladeshi citizens by the Indian Border Security Force (BSF). The shocking condition of human rights in Bangladesh motivates HRSS to work hard to raise awareness both home and abroad. It is expected that this bulletin will help the people, the civil society as well as the international community by providing them with a concrete account of the deplorable human rights situation of Bangladesh. Table of Contents SL Topics Page Number 01 Acknowledgments 04 02 Executive Summary 05 03 Table of Contents 07 04 List of Figures 08 05 Acronyms 09 06 Extra-Judicial Killing 10 07 Enforced Disappearance 20 08 Violence Against Women 30 09 Attack on Journalists 44 10 Attack on Minority 54 11 Political Violence 58 12 Border Killing 64 13 Violence Against Children 68 14 Violent Attack 72 15 Abduction 76 16 Public Lynching 80 17 Recovery of Dead Body 83 18 Quota Reform and Safe Roads Movement 87 19 Inhuman Torture by Law Enforcement Agencies 92 20 Checks on Freedom of Expression 97 21 Election Violence and Vote Rigging 104 22 Annual Human Rights Bulletin at a Glance 2018 107 23 Human Rights Bulletin Yearly Comparison 108 24 Conclusion 109 25 Recommendations 110 26 Annexure: 01 Annual Statistics-2018 111 27 Annexure: 02 Photo Gallery 112 List of Figures SL Topics Page Number 01 Statistics of Extra-Judicial Killing in 2018 11 02 Monthly Comparison of Extra-Judicial Killing 11 03 Victims of Extra-Judicial killing based on Region 12 04 Actors of Extra-Judicial Killing in 2018 13 05 Statistics of Enforced disappearance by LEA 21 06 Monthly Comparison of Enforced Disappearance 18 22 07 Violence against Women in 2018 31 08 Statics of Female Victims of Rape 32 09 Monthly Comparison of rape from Jan to Dec '18 32 10 Statistics of Dowry Related Violence 35 11 Monthly Comparison of deaths for dowry in 2018 36 12 Attacks Using Acid on Women and Girls 37 13 Statistics of family feud 39 14 Monthly Comparison of killing from Jan to Dec'18 39 15 Statistics of Sexual Harassment 40 16 Monthly Comparison of Sexual Harassment from Jan to Dec '18 41 17 Attacks on Journalist 45 18 Statistics of Attacks on Minority 55 19 Statistics of Political Violence 59 20 Monthly Comparison of Killing from Jan to Dec 2018 59 21 Violence in Border by BSF between Jan and Dec '18 65 22 Monthly comparison of total killings in border By BSF in 2018 65 23 Violence in Border by BGP in 2018 65 24 Statistics of Violence against Children 69 25 Monthly Comparison of killing from Jan to Dec '18 69 26 Statistics of Violent Attacks 72 27 killed in Violent Attack from Jan to Dec '18 72 28 Statistics of Abduction in 2018 76 29 Categorization of Abductd in 2018 76 30 Statistics of Public Lynching 2018 80 31 Monthly Comparison of Public Lynching 81 32 Categorization of Recovery of Dead Body 83 33 Monthly Statistics of the Number of Dead Bodies Found in 2018 84 34 Inhuman Torture by LEA in 2018 92 35 Statistics of Election Violence 2018 104 36 Total Death in 11th National Election 2018 105 37 At a Glance Human Rights Situation of Bangladesh in 2018 107 38 Comparison between Annual Bulletin of 2018 and 2017 108 Acronyms BNHRC : National Human Rights Commission of