1 Introduction | : Odhikar Annual Human Rights Report 2013 Cover designed by Odhikar with photos collected from various sources: Clockwise from left: 1. Collapsed ruins of the Rana Plaza building –photo taken by Odhikar, 24/04/2013 2. Bodies of workers recovered from Rana Plaza –photo taken by Odhikar, 24/04/2013 3. Mohammad Nur Islam and Muktar Dai, who were shot dead by BSF at Bojrak border in Horipur Police Station, Thakurgaon District – photo taken by Odhikar, 03/01/2013 4. Photo Collage: Rizvi Hassan, victim of enforced disappearance from Chittagong; Mohammad Fakhrul Islam, victim of enforced disappearance from Middle Badda, Dhaka; Abdullah Umar Al Shahadat, victim of enforced disappearance from Mirpur, Dhaka; Humayun Kabir and Mohammad Saiful Islam, victims of enforced disappearance from Laksam, Comilla; Mohammad Tayob Pramanik, Kamal Hossain Patowari and Ibrahim Khalil, victims of enforced disappearance from Boraigram, Natore. All photographs collected from their families by Odhikar during the course of fact finding missions. 5. A broken idol of the Hindu goddess Kali at Rajganj under Begumganj Upazila in Noakhali District – photo taken by Odhikar, 03/03/2013 6. Bodies of Hefazate Islam activists at Dhaka Medical College Hospital Morgue – Photo collected from the daily Jugantor, 07/05/2013 2 Introduction | : Odhikar Annual Human Rights Report 2013 Contents Introduction ................................................................................................................................8 Human Rights and the Struggle for Democracy ...........................................................................9 CHAPTER I: EXECUTIVE SUMMERY .................................................................................. 11 Rule by terror .................................................................................................................... 122 Extrajudicial killings........…...……………………………………………………………..12 Abusing Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure .................................................. 13 The Ant-Terrorism Act 2009 ……………………………………………………………..14 Manipulation of the Judiciary ........................................................................................... 14 Freedom of thought and expression ……………………………………………………..... 15 Repressing and silencing Odhikar………………...……………………………………….17 Extrajudicial killings and torture by BSF ............................................................................. 18 Minority rights …………………………………………………………………………….. .. 18 Worker’s rights ................................................................................................................... 20 Violence against women ……………………………………………………………………....... 20 CHAPTER II: DANGER & RISKS IN HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVITIES ................................. 24 Abduction, Arrest and Detention of Adilur Rahman Khan; Arrest and Detention of Nasiruddin Elan…….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….…......24 Surveillance and smear campaigns against Odhikar ............................................................. 30 Other information about risks against human rights defenders ............................................. 32 CHAPTER III: CIVIL & POLITICAL RIGHTS ....................................................................... 35 A. Freedom of thought, speech and expression .................................................................. 355 The Telecommunication Regulatory (Amendment) Act 2010………………………….…35 Information and Communication Technology Act 2006 (Amended in 2009 and 2013)…..35 Violations to freedom of expression and media ………………………………………… .. 36 Shutdown of two TV channels supported by the Opposition ……………………..………37 Arrest and mistreatment of Mahmudur Rahman ................................................................ 37 Obstruction on Internet use ............................................................................................... 38 Arrest of bloggers ……...…………………………………...……………………………. 38 Possible further obstructions on media .............................................................................. 40 BUET teacher sentenced for allegedly threatening to murder the Prime Minister on Facebook .......................................................................................................................... 40 National University teacher was imprisoned due to alleged defamatory comments on Prime Minister and her family members on Facebook………………………………..……….…41 Attacks and repression on journalists …………………………………..…………………42 3 Introduction | : Odhikar Annual Human Rights Report 2013 Freedom of assembly ........................................................................................................... 44 Abuse of Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure ................................................. 45 Prohibitions on meetings/processions ............................................................................... 48 Use of pepper spray and ammunition to stop meetings ..................................................... 49 Rights of minorities ............................................................................................................. 53 Violations against religious minority communities ........................................................... 54 One year after acts of arson on Buddhist temples and houses in Ramu, an independent investigation is yet to be completed ………………………………………………………60 Rights of the ethnic minority communities ………………………………..……..…….……61 Fair trial .............................................................................................................................. 64 Withdrawal of ‘politically motivated’ cases …………………………………..……….….65 BDR mutiny trial verdict ………………………………………...………...…………...…66 International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) ………………………………………...…………….68 CHAPTER IV: VIOLENCE BY POLITICAL PARTIES ........................................................... 71 Widespread political violence and criminalisation of politics ……………………..…...…...71 Contexts of political violence in 2013 ............................................................................... 72 The Caretaker Government Issue ...................................................................................... 73 Trial of war criminals, Shahbag Gonojagoron Moncho and the Hefazate Islam issue ........ 75 Political Confrontations .................................................................................................... 76 CHAPTER V: RIGHT TO LIFE (ARBITRARY OR UNLAWFUL DEPRIVATION OF LIFE) ................................................................................................................................................. 83 Extrajudicial killings ........................................................................................................... 83 Types of Deaths....................................................................................................................... 84 Culture of impunity……….…………...…………...………………………………………...88 Public lynching……………...……………………...………………………………………..90 CHAPTER VI: TORTURE AND OTHER CRUEL, INHUMAN OR DEGRADING TREATMENT OR PUNISHMENT ........................................................................................... 93 Torture and ill-treatment……………………………………………….………..………...…93 Prisons and human rights…………………………………...………………...……..……….98 Anti-Terrorism Act 2009 (Amendment) Bill 2013 passed in Parliament……………..……100 Enforced Disappearances………………………………………………….………………..101 CHAPTER VII: BANGLADESH – INDIA BORDER SITUATION ....................................... 106 Border violence……………………………………………………..…...…….………….…….106 Follow-up on Felani: a trial for nothing…………………………………...………………..110 The issue of enclaves…………………………………………...……………….....……….112 4 Introduction | : Odhikar Annual Human Rights Report 2013 CHAPTER VIII: LIVELIHOOD RIGHTS .............................................................................. 114 Worker's rights……………………………...…………………………………..…………..114 Situation of readymade germent factory workers: Some incidents……...….....………....117 Bangladesh Labour (Amendment) Act, 2013 passed in Parliament………..………….…...119 CHAPTER IX: VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN .................................................................. 121 Dowry related violence………………………………………………..……………...…….121 Acid attacks………………………………………………………………………..………..123 Rape……………………………………………………………………………....…..…….125 Stalking (sexual harassment)…………………………………………...……....…………..128 CHAPTER X: PERFORMANCE OF NATIONAL INSTITUTIONS ...................................... 131 The Judiciary……………….……………………………………………………………….131 The Police and Political use of the Police Force…….…………………………..…..……...133 Bribery and corruption within the police force……………………………….…..….…...133 The Election Commission……………………………………………………..……………134 The National Human Rights Commission………………………………..…………...……136 The Anti Corruption Commission…………………………………………..…...…………139 Amendment to the Anti Corruption Commission Act 2004……..……………..………..142 The Information Commission……...……………………………...………………………..143 Local Government……………….………………………...……………………………….145 The Parliament……………………………………………………...………………………147 Joint submission of the second cycle Universal Periodic Review (UPR) Report…...….......148 CHAPTER XI: RECOMMENDATIONS…………………………...………………………....151 5 Introduction | : Odhikar Annual Human Rights Report 2013 Odhikar defends the dignity, freedom and rights of the people of Bangladesh, as human beings as well as citizens, consistent with