Bangladesh – Researched and compiled by the Refugee Documentation Centre of Ireland on 23 September 2016

Any information on: Any significant developments within the BNP between 2007 and 2015, change of leadership, change in government, particularly any events involving the BNP in Sylhet during this time.

The Executive Summary of a report from the Bertelsmann Foundation states:

“The parliamentary election held on 5 January 2014 was boycotted by the nineteen party alliance led by the Nationalist Party (BNP). The election, in which a majority of the parliament members ran unopposed, created a de facto one-party institution with no institutional checks. The violence that engulfed the country throughout 2013 leading up to the election and which cost at least 500 lives subsided after the election; the country enjoyed relative peace and stability in 2014 while the opposition leaders faced persecution. The situation took a turn for the worse in early 2015, when the BNP called for demonstrations to mark the anniversary of the controversial election as ‘democracy killing day’ and to demand that elections be held under a neutral caretaker government. The BNP-led alliance was forbidden to hold a public rally and the BNP leader, Khaleda Zia, was confined at the party office. The BNP then launched general strikes and imposed a countrywide blockade, in which violence was used as a political tool by its cadre to draw international attention. The government’s decision to resort to heavy-handed tactics, including the arrest of opposition leaders and the targeted killing of activists by government forces, exacerbated the situation.” (Bertelsmann Foundation (January 2016) BTI 2016: Bangladesh Country Report, p.2)

The 2016 Amnesty International report for Bangladesh, in a section titled “Background”, states:

“An anti-government campaign led by the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) between January and March turned violent as hundreds of buses and other vehicles were attacked, allegedly by demonstrators using petrol bombs. Dozens of passengers were killed and scores more injured. No one directly involved in the attacks was brought to justice. Police arrested senior members of the BNP and charged them with arson. They included Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, the party’s acting Secretary General, who was frequently arrested during the year for periods of weeks or months before being released.” (Amnesty International (24 February 2016) Amnesty International Report 2015/16 – Bangladesh)

The 2016 Human Rights Watch report for Bangladesh states:

“Bangladesh has not had an effective parliamentary opposition since the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) boycotted national elections in 2014. In place of parliamentary debate, 2015 saw the BNP taking to the streets and the government under leader cracking down

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on free expression and civil society. In several instances, commuters were killed or injured when street protests turned violent. The frequent blockades and strikes also prevented many children from attending school or sitting examinations. The government responded by deploying troops to quell the street violence, detaining thousands of opposition members, and restricting BNP leader Khaleda Zia to her office ahead of planned opposition protests.” (Human Rights Watch (27 January 2016) World Report 2016 – Bangladesh)

A report from the Islamic Human Rights Commission, in a section titled “Crackdown Against Political Opposition And Media”, states:

“Since early 2014 the Awami League government has rounded up and arrested hundreds of opposition activists, including from the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and the Jamaat-e-Islami Party. The government crackdown came in response to opposition protests on the anniversary of controversial national polls in January 2014, which the BNP boycotted and from which Jamaat was excluded. Khaleda Zia, the leader of the BNP, was effectively detained in her office premises in on January 3, 2015. Although the government claimed she was not under arrest, a heavy security presence remained in place, the gates were locked, and she was denied exit. Information Minister Hasanul Huq announced that the government was preparing murder charges against Zia for an arson attack. No such charges ever came to pass. On January 6, 2015 Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamghir, the acting secretary general of the BNP, was arrested as he left the press club in Dhaka, for allegedly organising a protest the previous day that led to the deaths of four people and dozens of injuries. Two activists were shot dead in clashes between activists from the ruling party and security forces. Another two died the same day at the hands of security forces. Several other BNP leaders have been arrested as well.” (Islamic Human Rights Commission (23 December 2016) NGO Alternative Report on the Implementation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (Adoption of List of Issues) 116th Session (7 March 2016); Bangladesh)

A BBC News report states:

“Bangladesh opposition leader Khaleda Zia has been granted bail by an anti- corruption court after leaving her office compound for the first time in three months. Ms Zia, who is the leader of the Bangladesh National Party (BNP), is accused of embezzling charitable funds. Her supporters say the charges are politically motivated. The move is seen as a potential easing of tension between Ms Zia and the Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina. She waved to dozens of chanting supporters as she left the court after the hearing to return to her home. She is accused of embezzling $650,000 (£435,000) in two corruption cases involving charitable funds during her last term as prime minister from 2001 to 2006. She is also facing charges of instigating violence. Her supporters say the charges are political and that Ms Zia has been forcibly confined to her office since early January, when she had threatened to lead a mass anti-government rally to protest against last year's national election.” (BBC News (5 April 2015) Bangladesh opposition leader Khaleda Zia granted bail)

An article from The New Nation refers to BNP leaders in Sylhet as follows:

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“Most of the leaders of opposition 18 Party Alliance led by BNP have gone into hiding to avoid the arrests. Besides, the law enforcers have already arrested many of the top leaders of Sylhet during the blockade and hartal programmes, The leaders who are out of jail are avoiding the arrest, and are going into hiding now. The leaders of Chatra Dal, Jubo Dal, Sramik Dal and other sister organizations of BNP went to safe place for avoide the arrest. Meanwhile, the Sylhet and rural areas are being covered by the posters of BNP demanding the immediate release of the arrested BNP leaders and withdrawal of the political cases against the leaders. Sources said, the top leaders of BNP are not seen at the agitation programmes in Sylhet now. The root level activists and Jamaat activists are making the programmes successful here in Sylhet in absence of the top leaders.” (The New Nation (6 January 2014) Sylhet BNP leaders go into hiding)

See also article from The New Nation which states:

“At least 35 people, including a policeman, were injured in a clash between two rival groups of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) at Pagla Bazar under Dakkhin sadar upazila in Sunamganj district on Wednesday afternoon.The frantic activists vandalized at least 15 vehicles on the Sylhet- Sunamganj highway and torched some shops in the market area.” (The New Nation (21 November 2014) BNP rivals clash in Sunamganj)

An article from The Financial Express states:

“Hartal supporters exploded improvised bombs and clashed with police in Sylhet as they enforced a half-day shutdown in the north-eastern district, including the divisional city. Local unit leaders and workers of the BNP-led 20- party alliance were out on the streets since Tuesday morning. The BNP-led coalition called the 6am to 2pm shutdown to protest the arrest of its activists from Sylhet during Monday's nationwide general strike.” (The Financial Express (30 December 2014) Bomb blasts, clashes mark Sylhet hartal)

An article from The Financial Express states:

“Police arrested a leader of Sylhet city unit of BNP on charge of attack and vandalism at Sylhet Polytechnic Institute principal's house from Kadamtali area in the north-eastern divisional city on Wednesday night. Sylhet South Surma police camp in-charge sub-inspector Shafiqul Islam said being tipped off, a police team conducted a drive in the area and arrested BNP leader Makbul Hossain, also a former president of the city Ward No.26 unit BNP, at about 11:15pm. He was arrested on charge of attack and vandalism at Sylhet Polytechnic Institute principal's residence, the SI added, according to a news agency.” (The Financial Express (5 February 2015) Sylhet city BNP leader arrested)

An article from The Financial Express states:

“A Sylhet court has sent nine local leaders and activists of BNP and Jamaat- e-Islami to jail rejecting their bail prayers in a case filed for subversive activities. They were identified as Minhaj Uddin , Shoaibur Rahman, Shamim, Alam, Shahnur, Shahjul, Mamun, Ramjan and Jamal. All are leaders and activists of Golapganj and Goainghat upazila units of BNP

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and Jamaat.” (The Financial Express (21 October 2015) 9 BNP-Jamaat men sent to jail in Sylhet)

An article from the Bangladeshi online newspaper BDNews24.com states:

“Kibria, finance minister in Awami League's 1996-2001 government, and four others were killed in a grenade attack on Jan 27, 2005 while returning to after a rally. The then general secretary of the Habiganj Awami League, Abdul Majid Khan had filed two cases over the attacks - one over the killings and the other over the explosions - that very night. Police pressed charges on 10 people on Mar 20 the same year. The plaintiff objected to it the following year. During the 2007-08 caretaker government, the High Court ordered further investigation into the case. On June 20, 2011, investigators accused 14 people, including former state minister for home Lutfozzaman Babar and Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami's Bangladesh leader Mufti Hannan, in the chargesheet he submitted to the court. But Kibria's wife filed an objection to it eight days later at the Habiganj court. In January the following year, Sylhet's Speedy Trial Tribunal accepted the objection and ordered further investigation. Following the third probe, charges were pressed on 11 others, including Ariful, a BNP leader from Sylhet, in a supplementary chargesheet in December 2014. On Dec 21, the court ordered their arrests. Eight days later, Ariful surrendered to the trial court and sought bail. He landed in jail as his petition was rejected. He has been behind bars since then. Ariful, who was elected in 2013, is a member of the Sylhet BNP's convening committee. The local government ministry sacked him in January 2015 after the court indicted him for the murder of former minister Kibria.” (BDNews24.com 8 September 2016) Bail for former Sylhet mayor Ariful upheld in Kibria murder case Kibria murder trial starts, BNP leaders Harris, Babar, Ariful indicted)

This response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research and Information Unit 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.

References:

Amnesty International (24 February 2016) Amnesty International Report 2015/16 – Bangladesh https://www.amnesty.org/en/countries/asia-and-the-pacific/bangladesh/report- bangladesh/ (Accessed 23 September 2016)

BBC News (5 April 2015) Bangladesh opposition leader Khaleda Zia granted bail http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-32188301 (Accessed 23 September 2016)

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BDNews24.com 8 September 2016) Bail for former Sylhet mayor Ariful upheld in Kibria murder case Kibria murder trial starts, BNP leaders Harris, Babar, Ariful indicted http://www.lexisnexis.com (Accessed 23 September 2016) This is a subscription database

Bertelsmann Foundation (January 2016) BTI 2016: Bangladesh Country Report http://www.bti- project.org/fileadmin/files/BTI/Downloads/Reports/2016/pdf/BTI_2016_Bangla desh.pdf (Accessed 23 September 2016)

The Financial Express (21 October 2015) 9 BNP-Jamaat men sent to jail in Sylhet http://www.lexisnexis.com (Accessed 23 September 2016) This is a subscription database

The Financial Express (5 February 2015) Sylhet city BNP leader arrested http://www.lexisnexis.com This is a subscription database

The Financial Express (30 December 2014) Bomb blasts, clashes mark Sylhet hartal http://www.lexisnexis.com (Accessed 23 September 2016) This is a subscription database

Human Rights Watch (27 January 2016) World Report 2016 – Bangladesh https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2016/country-chapters/bangladesh (Accessed 23 September 2016)

The New Nation (21 November 2014) BNP rivals clash in Sunamganj http://www.lexisnexis.com (Accessed 23 September 2016) This is a subscription database

The New Nation (6 January 2014) Sylhet BNP leaders go into hiding http://www.lexisnexis.com (Accessed 23 September 2016) This is a subscription database

Sources Consulted:

Amnesty International BBC News Electronic Immigration Network European Country of Origin Information Network

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Freedom House Google Human Rights Watch Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada International Crisis Group Lexis Nexis OFPRA Refugee Documentation Centre Query Database UK Home Office UNHCR Refworld

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