- Researched and compiled by the Refugee Documentation Centre of Ireland on Monday 23 & Tuesday 24 February 2015

Information on present violence involving and between the BNP and Awami League

A paper issued in February 2015 by the International Crisis Group notes that:

“On 5 January, the first anniversary of the deeply contested 2014 elections, the most violent in Bangladesh’s history, clashes between government and opposition groups led to several deaths and scores injured. The confrontation marks a new phase of the deadlock between the ruling Awami League (AL) and the Bangladesh National Party (BNP) opposition, which have swapped time in government with metronomic consistency since independence. Having boycotted the 2014 poll, the BNP appears bent on ousting the government via street power” (International Crisis Group (9 February 2015) Mapping Bangladesh’s Political Crisis, p.i).

Amnesty International in January 2015 points out that:

“In recent weeks, the human rights situation in Bangladesh has seen a sharp deterioration as supporters of the government and the opposition have clashed on the streets of Dhaka and other major cities” (Amnesty International (29 January 2015) Bangladesh: Excessive police force not the answer to horrific petrol bomb attacks).

In January 2015 Amnesty International notes:

“Violations of the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly are occurring in the context of a long standing conflict between the governing Awami League party, led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, and the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), led by Begum Khaleda Zia” (Amnesty International (20 January 2015) Bangladesh: Human rights deteriorate as political violence escalates, p.1).

In January 2015 the United Nations News Service states:

“The United Nations human rights office has expressed concern over the rising levels of political violence rippling across Bangladesh…” (United Nations News Service (16 January 2015) Bangladesh: UN rights office alarmed at 'deepening' political violence).

This report also states:

“At least 27 people have died during clashes between government and opposition supporters, arson attacks, or from shooting by security forces” (ibid, pp.2-3).

In January 2015 Reuters notes:

“At least 34 people have died in Bangladesh and scores have been injured, most of them in firebomb attacks, amid rising political unrest fueled by a stand-off between Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and the main opposition leader” (Reuters (25 January 2015) Thirty-four die in Bangladesh vote protest violence).

A paper released in February 2015 by Odhikar states:

“According to information gathered by Odhikar, in January 2015, 46 persons were killed and 1946 were injured in political violence. Among them, 20 persons succumbed to injuries and 260 were burnt in petrol bomb and arson attacks during hartals1 and blockade programmes. 26 incidents of internal violence in the Awami League and two in the BNP2 were also recorded during this period. One person was killed and 327 were injured in the internal conflicts of the Awami League while 32 persons were injured in conflicts within the BNP”(Odhikar (1 February 2015) Human rights monitoring report: January 2015, pp.2-3).

In February 2015 BBC News notes that:

“…least 50 people have been killed and 1,000 injured since 5 January. More than 7,000 opposition activists have been arrested” (BBC News (4 February 2015) Bangladesh opposition leader Khaleda Zia charged over arson attack).

In February 2015 Human Rights Watch notes the:

“…politically motivated violence and other abuses…[and that] Over the past month, nearly 60 people have been killed, hundreds injured, and thousands arrested across the country” (Human Rights Watch (6 February 2015) Bangladesh: End Deadly Cycle of Crimes).

A report issued in February 2015 by the Wall Street Journal notes that:

“Feuding between two top politicians has thrown parts of this country into upheaval, with street clashes, firebombings and shootouts killing more than 80 people since early January…More than 20 opposition activists have been killed in encounters that police describe as shootouts, but some human-rights groups say they are extrajudicial killings. The escalating violence over the past month stems from a dispute over the legitimacy of last year’s national election, which was boycotted by opposition parties. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her Awami League have shown no signs of backing down, nor has her longtime rival, Khaleda Zia, leader of the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party” (Wall Street Journal (22 February 2015) Bitter Political Rivalry Plunges Bangladesh Into Chaos).

The South Asian Terrorism Portal in February 2015 states:

“Locals found the bullet-hit bodies of two alleged Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) men, identified as Polash Hossain and Dulal Hossain in Sadar in on February 23, reports The Daily Star. Jahangir Hossain, office secretary of District BNP unit, confirmed that Polash and Dulal were activists of his party. Both the bodies bore marks of bullet in their ears and also some beating marks in the hands. Six people were injured when two crude bombs exploded at a rally organised by the Awami League (AL)-led alliance in Joypurhat town in Joypurhat District on February 22, reports The Daily Star. Rebeka Sultana, president of Joypurhat Mohila AL, and its secretary Nazma Begum are among the injured” (South Asian Terrorism Portal (23 February 2015) Two 'BNP men' shot dead in Jhenidah).

References

Amnesty International (29 January 2015) Bangladesh: Excessive police force not the answer to horrific petrol bomb attacks https://www.amnesty.org/en/articles/news/2015/01/bangladesh-excessive- police-force-not-answer-horrific-petrol-bomb-attacks/ Accessed Monday 23 February 2015

Amnesty International (20 January 2015) Bangladesh: Human rights deteriorate as political violence escalates https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/asa13/0001/2015/en/ Accessed Monday 23 February 2015

BBC News (4 February 2015) Bangladesh opposition leader Khaleda Zia charged over arson attack http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-31127763# Accessed Monday 23 February 2015

Human Rights Watch (6 February 2015) Bangladesh: End Deadly Cycle of Crimes http://www.hrw.org/news/2015/02/06/bangladesh-end-deadly-cycle-crimes Accessed Monday 23 February 2015

International Crisis Group (9 February 2015) Mapping Bangladesh’s Political Crisis http://www.crisisgroup.org/en/regions/asia/south-asia/bangladesh.aspx Accessed Monday 23 February 2015

Odhikar (1 February 2015) Human rights monitoring report: January 2015 http://odhikar.org/human-rights-monitoring-report-january-2015/ Accessed Monday 23 February 2015

Reuters (25 January 2015) Thirty-four die in Bangladesh vote protest violence http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/01/25/us-bangladesh-violence- idUSKBN0KY0JN20150125?feedType=RSS&feedName=worldNews Accessed Monday 23 February 2015

South Asian Terrorism Portal (23 February 2015) Two 'BNP men' shot dead in Jhenidah http://www.satp.org/satporgtp/detailed_news.asp?date1=2/23/2015&id=3#3 Accessed Monday 23 February 2015

United Nations News Service (16 January 2015) Bangladesh: UN rights office alarmed at 'deepening' political violence http://www.refworld.org/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/rwmain?page=printdoc&docid=54be12574 Accessed Monday 23 February 2015

Wall Street Journal (22 February 2015) Bitter Political Rivalry Plunges Bangladesh Into Chaos http://www.wsj.com/articles/bitter-political-rivalry-plunges-bangladesh-into-chaos- 1424652921 Accessed Monday 23 February 2015

This response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Refugee Documentation Centre within time constraints. This response is not and does not purport to be conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please read in full all documents referred to.

Sources Consulted

Amnesty International BBC News Electronic Immigration Network European Country of Origin Information Network Freedom House Google Human Rights Watch Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre International Crisis Group IRIN News Lexis Nexis Minority Rights Group International Online Newspapers Refugee Documentation Centre E-Library Refugee Documentation Centre Query Database Reliefweb Reuters United Kingdom Home Office United States Department of State UNHCR Refworld ��������������������������������������������������������������������������� ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������� �����������������������������������������������������